JUNE 2022
SYSTEMS
PUMPSANDSYSTEMS.COM
The Leading Resource for Pump Users Worldwide
HOW TO TEMPER
VIBRATION ISSUES
PUMP CHECKLIST FOR HOT
LIQUID APPLICATIONS
CAN BRAIDED PACKING
EXTEND BEARING LIFE?
what’s good for the
MOTOR
is good for the
SYSTEM
• Low- vs. Medium-Voltage Motors
• What Is Surge Comparison Testing?
• Sustainable Pump Motors
Parts Solutions
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Check 120 on index.
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FROM THE EDITOR
When I started with Pumps & Systems more than seven
years ago, I wasn’t sure what to expect. My background
was in editing and publishing—not industrial pumping,
but you all quickly and warmly welcomed me into the
industry like you have with each member of our team.
You’ve always been willing to explain in detail every
piece of equipment, how it works within the system, and
why it works differently in certain applications.
In those explanations, we’ve seen the passion that
those working in this industry have for it, and it makes
us passionate about it, too. I can’t tell you the number
of times I’ve been on vacation and pointed out a pump
to family or friends. Or how often I’ve explained the
danger of flushing wipes to someone picking up a
package of them in a grocery store. Or the times my
Amy posing in front of a power plant
husband has commented on a cool water feature or
turbine, instead of the nearby
marveled during a brewery tour, and I’ve said, “You
waterfall, while on her honeymoon in
know what makes that possible? Pumps.”
Washington state
You make working in this industry a joy, and I can’t
wait to keep learning from you as I step into my new role as editor of Pumps & Systems.
In July, we’ll be highlighting some of those passionate people in our annual Industry
Veterans section. If you know someone that’s had a long career in industrial pumping
that deserves to be recognized, nominate them to be featured at pumpsandsystems.com/
industry-veterans-2022.
In this issue, we’re covering all things motors (starting on page 34) as we gear up for the
Electrical Apparatus Service Association (EASA) convention at the end of June. You can find
coverage of that event on page 10, and at the show, you can find our team at booth 1136. In
the meantime, you can always reach out to us at pumpeditors@cahabamedia.com or to me
directly at ahyde@cahabamedia.com.
We look forward to hearing from you!
EDITORIAL
EDITOR: Amy Hyde
ahyde@cahabamedia.com • 205-314-8274
MANAGING EDITOR: Drew Champlin
dchamplin@cahabamedia.com • 205-314-8264
ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Evi Arthur
earthur@cahabamedia.com • 205-278-2839
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Lev Nelik, Ray Hardee,
Jim Elsey, Jennifer King
CREATIVE SERVICES
DIGITAL PROJECT MANAGER: Greg Ragsdale
ART DIRECTOR: Elizabeth Chick
WEB DEVELOPER: Greg Caudle
CIRCULATION
AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER: Lori Masaoay
lmasaoay@cahabamedia.com • 205-278-2840
SUBSCRIPTION CHANGES & INQUIRIES:
customerservice@cahabamedia.com
ADVERTISING
NATIONAL SALES MANAGER:
Derrell Moody
dmoody@pump-zone.com • 205-345-0784
SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES:
Mark Goins
mgoins@pump-zone.com • 205-345-6414
Gannon Greene
ggreene@pump-zone.com • 205-278-2876
Garrick Stone
gstone@pump-zone.com • 205-212-9406
CLIENT SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE:
Amy Hyde, Editor
ahyde@cahabamedia.com
Kimberly Holmes • 205-212-9402, ext. 210
kholmes@cahabamedia.com
PUBLISHER: Matthew G. Conroy
VP OF SALES: Greg Meineke
CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Terri McVey
CONTROLLER: Brandon Whittemore
Pumps & Systems
is a member of the following organizations:
PUMPS & SYSTEMS (ISSN# 1065-108X) is published monthly by Cahaba Media Group, 1900 28th Avenue S., Suite 200, Birmingham, AL 35209.
Periodicals postage paid at Birmingham, AL, and additional mailing offices. Subscriptions: Free of charge to qualified industrial pump users.
Publisher reserves the right to determine qualifications. Annual subscriptions: US and possessions $48, all other countries $125 US funds (via air
mail). Single copies: US and possessions $5, all other countries $15 US funds (via air mail). Call 205-278-2840 inside or outside the U.S. POSTMASTER:
Send changes of address and form 3579 to Pumps & Systems, P.O. Box 530067, Birmingham, AL 35253. ©2022 Cahaba Media Group, Inc. No part of
this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. The publisher does not warrant, either expressly or by implication,
the factual accuracy of any advertisements, articles or descriptions herein, nor does the publisher warrant the validity of any views or opinions
offered by the authors of said articles or descriptions. The opinions expressed are those of the individual authors, and do not necessarily represent
the opinions of Cahaba Media Group. Cahaba Media Group makes no representation or warranties regarding the accuracy or appropriateness of the
advice or any advertisements contained in this magazine. SUBMISSIONS: We welcome submissions. Unless otherwise negotiated in writing by
the editors, by sending us your submission, you grant Cahaba Media Group, Inc., permission by an irrevocable license (with the right to license to
third parties) to edit, reproduce, distribute, publish and adapt your submission in any medium on multiple occasions. You are free to publish your
submission yourself or to allow others to republish your submission. Submissions will not be returned. Volume 30, Issue 6.
2
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
P.O. Box 530067
Birmingham, AL 35253
EDITORIAL & PRODUCTION
1900 28th Avenue South, Suite 200
Birmingham, AL 35209
205-212-9402
A single source for your
fluid solutions.
As the largest provider of both rental equipment and fluid solutions in North
America, United Rentals can help you if you need one piece of equipment
or a custom-engineered solution. We have pumps, tanks, filtration systems
and experts who are ready to serve all your project needs.
Visit UnitedRentals.com/PSM-Fluid or
call 800.UR.RENTS for all your fluid solution needs.
Check 141 on index.
IN THIS ISSUE
JUNE 2022
38
COLUMNS
14 COMMON PUMPING
MISTAKES
Pump Checklist for Hot
Liquid Applications
By Jim Elsey,
SUMMIT PUMP INC.
18 GUEST COLUMN
Vibration: Inevitable &
Necessary
By Gary Dyson,
HYDRO
COVER SERIES: MOTORS & DRIVES
34 Do Not Let These Motor
Analyses Shake You
By Blake Bailey,
designmotors
37 Addressing Instability
With VFDs
By Jon Mosterd,
DANFOSS DRIVES
38 Factors for Selecting a Low-or
Medium-Voltage Electric Motor
By Wayne Paschall,
ABB INC.
40 The Advantages of
Synchronous Motors
By Tim Albers & Kyle Mertens,
NIDEC MOTOR CORPORATION
43 Using ESA to Identify Vibration
Problems
By William Kruger,
ALL-TEST PRO
47 Top Challenges &
Considerations for
Retrofitting a Motor
By Anthony Lou,
INFINITUM ELECTRIC
48 Motor & Variable Speed
Controller Technology
By Peter Wolff,
ARMSTRONG FLUID TECHNOLOGY
4
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
50 Sustainable Pump Motors:
Green Is Good Business
By Nick Desilvio,
ePROPELLED
53 What Is Surge
Comparison Testing?
By David Stewart,
ELECTROM INSTRUMENTS
EVERY ISSUE
2 FROM THE EDITOR
8 NEWS
74 PRODUCTS
77 ADVERTISERS INDEX
78 PUMP USERS
MARKETPLACE
80 PUMP MARKET ANALYSIS
SPECIAL SECTION: VIBRATION & ALIGNMENT
20 New ANSI/ASA Shaft
Alignment Standard Adopted
By Eugene Vogel,
EASA
25 Solving Vibration Problems
at Whitewater Rafting
Facility
By Chris Armstrong &
Jordan Schultz,
EVANS ENTERPRISES
30 Why Permanent Alignment
Is Important in ElectricDriven Pump Packages
By RJ Gates & Melissa Wright,
FRANKLIN ELECTRIC
COMPANY, INC. &
Toby Wilson,
PIONEER PUMP, A BRAND OF
FRANKLIN ELECTRIC
26 Using Vibration Data to
Predict & Prevent Failure
By John Bernet,
FLUKE RELIABILITY
28 What Is Motion Amplification?
By Paul J. Barna,
RDI TECHNOLOGIES
30
REAL. FAST.
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Check 114 on index.
www.flexaseal.com
800-426-3594
IN THIS ISSUE
JUNE 2022
56
✚ PLUS
DEPARTMENTS
56 Advantages of an Automated,
Wireless Approach to
Condition Monitoring
64 HI PUMP FAQS
By Scott Mayo,
SCHAEFFLER GROUP USA INC.
Impeller Balance Grades &
Avoiding Galvanic Corrosion
66 SEALING SENSE
Can Braided Packing Extend
Pump Bearing Life?
59 Extend Equipment Life With
Bearing Isolator Labyrinth Seals
71 MAINTENANCE MATTERS
Protect Bearings in General
Purpose Steam Turbines
By Heinz P. Bloch,
PROCESS MACHINERY
CONSULTING
By Warren Montgomery,
FSA MEMBER,
A.W. CHESTERTON COMPANY
By Jeff Blank,
GARLOCK
JUNE 2022
SYSTEMS
PUMPSANDSYSTEMS.COM
61 Viscosity Corrections for
Centrifugal Pumps
The Leading Resource for Pump Users Worldwide
68 BACK TO BASICS
4 Steps to Determine Which
Powered Drum Pump Is Best
for Your Application
By Kyle Clark,
APPLIED FLOW TECHNOLOGY
By Pete Scantlebury,
FINISH THOMPSON
HOW TO TEMPER
VIBRATION ISSUES
PUMP CHECKLIST FOR HOT
LIQUID APPLICATIONS
CAN BRAIDED PACKING
EXTEND BEARING LIFE?
what’s good for the
MOTOR
SYSTEM
is good for the
• Low- vs. Medium-Voltage Motors
• What Is Surge Comparison Testing?
• Sustainable Pump Motors
ON THE
COVER
Image courtesy
of ABB
Editorial Advisory Board
THOMAS L. ANGLE, P.E., MSC,
Geschaeftsleiter (CEO), Swiss Flow
Solutions GmbH
R. THOMAS BROWN III, President,
Advanced Sealing International (ASI)
KEVIN CLARK, Vice President,
Industrial Strategy, Accruent
BOB DOMKOWSKI, Business
Development Manager/Engineering
Consultant, Xylem, Inc., Water
Solutions USA – Flygt
JIM DRAGO, Principal Applications
Engineer, Garlock Sealing
Technologies
6
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
JIM ELSEY, General Manager,
Summit Pump, Inc.
JOHN MALINOWSKI, Industrial
Motor Consultant
JOE EVANS, Ph.D., Customer &
Employee Education, PumpTech, Inc.
MICHAEL MICHAUD, Executive
Director, Hydraulic Institute
ROB LAIRD, Practice Leader,
Woodard & Curran
LEV NELIK, Ph.D., P.E., APICS,
International Center for Pumps
Research and Development, Israel
LARRY LEWIS, President, Vanton
Pump and Equipment Corp.
TODD LOUDIN, President/CEO
North American Operations,
Flowrox Inc.
HENRY PECK, CEO, Geiger
Pump & Equipment Company
MICHELE SHAUGHNESSY,
Vice President Marketing & Sales,
PSG Dover
SCOTT SORENSEN, Oil & Gas
Automation Consultant & Market
Developer, Siemens Industry Sector
ADAM STOLBERG, Executive Director,
Submersible Wastewater Pump
Association (SWPA)
DOUG VOLDEN, Global Engineering
Director, John Crane
CHRIS WILDER, CEO, SEPCO
Drive Pre-Wired &
Programmed
Designed to run
out of the box
IP54 Rated Drive & motor
with conformal coated
drive components
IE5 Efficiency Guaranteed Ferrite assisted
synchronous reluctance
rotor (FASR)
—
Plug and play
Eliminate wiring, reduce time
Upgrade to ABB’s new Baldor-Reliance® ultra-premium EC Titanium™ integrated motor
drive, and enjoy easy startup with our pre-programmed plug and play design.
• Eliminate expensive wiring and reduce installation time
• Reduce personnel risks and access hazards
• Integrated motor and drive designed to achieve IE5 efficiency levels
• Save up to 40% in energy costs with variable speed control
Efficient. Innovative. Simple.
baldor.abb.com/ec-titanium
Check 101 on index.
NEWS
NEW HIRES, PROMOTIONS & RECOGNITIONS
JUSTIN PECORONI,
FRANKLIN ELECTRIC
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Franklin
Electric welcomed Justin
Pecoroni to its industrial and
engineered systems business unit as senior
business unit manager.
Pecoroni brings more than 10 years of
experience serving industrial clients to
the role. In his previous position as global
account manager for Wesco-Anixter, he
worked closely with clients in the renewable
energy space, developing and managing
teams in direct support of critical
infrastructure projects.
Pecoroni is a graduate of Park University
in Missouri. He is also a veteran of the U.S.
Air Force.
fele.com
Pat Donahue to support the
expansion of new product
offerings in the North
American market.
Donahue majored in
mechanical engineering at
Purdue University. His work
experience includes CAD design
in manufacturing, followed by
positions in application engineering for
process equipment and pumps.
Tsurumi Pump announced Slater
Blanchard as its new regional sales
manager for the Southwest. Blanchard has
held general manager positions at several
pump companies in the past. Blanchard
joined Tsurumi in March 2022.
tsurumipump.com
SUJIT BANERJI,
EKKI PUMPS
COLOGNE, Germany – EKKI
announced the appointment of
Sujit Banerji as chief advisor.
Banerji is an emeritus professor at WMG at
the University of Warwick in the U.K. Banerji
studied at IIT, Kharagpur, for a bachelor’s
degree in mechanical engineering and a
master’s degree in industrial engineering.
He has a doctoral degree in operations
research from the University of Manchester
and Cambridge University.
ekkigroup.com
SUAD CISIC,
BROWN AND CALDWELL
LOS ANGELES — Environmental
engineering and construction
firm Brown and Caldwell
announced that Suad Cisic has joined the
company as managing director of client
services. The hire supports the firm’s
strategy to expand its share of LA’s water
and wastewater market.
With over 30 years of engineering and
construction consulting experience, Cisic
has a proven track record of positioning for,
capturing, and delivering highly technical
projects and programs.
brownandcaldwell.com
TIM FOWLER,
SJE
DETROIT LAKES, Minn. –
Tim Fowler has joined the
leadership team of SJE as chief
information officer (CIO). He is based out of
the SJE location in Plymouth, Minnesota.
Before joining SJE, Fowler held a series
of vice president and divisional CIO roles
at Polaris Industries. Prior to that, he spent
21 years between Irwin Financial and
Rexnord Industries.
sjeinc.com
PAT DONAHUE &
SLATER BLANCHARD,
TSURUMI PUMP
CHICAGO – Tsurumi Pump has hired
8
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
JOHN SHEFF,
TURNTIDE TECHNOLOGIES
SUNNYVALE, Calif. – Turntide
Technologies announced the
appointment of John Sheff
to the new position of senior director of
policy and government affairs. Sheff joins
Turntide from Danfoss, where he served as
the director of public and industry affairs
for North America.
In this role, Sheff will focus on
developing and leading the government
affairs and public policy functions. He
will also work with local utilities across
the country.
turntide.com
Upcoming Events
NFPA
June 6-9
Boston Convention &
Exhibition Center
Boston, MA
nfpa.org/conference
AWWA/ACE
June 12-15
Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
San Antonio, TX
awwa.org/ace
EASA
June 26-28
America’s Center
St. Louis, MO
easa.com/convention
ACHEMA
Aug. 22-26
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Frankfurt, Germany
achema.de/en
Turbomachinery & Pump
Symposia
Sept. 13-15
George R. Brown Convention Center
Houston, TX
tps.tamu.edu
WEFTEC
Oct. 8-12
Morial Convention Center
New Orleans, LA
weftec.org
Mergers & Acquisitions
OTC Industrial Technologies
Acquires ePUMPS
May 3, 2022
Johnson Controls Acquires
Powertec Pumps
April 25, 2022
Integrated Power Services Acquires
Tampa Armature Works, Inc.
April 12, 2022
Red Lion Controls Acquires
MB Connect Line GmbH
April 4, 2022
Load Testing the Largest Vertical Motors
in the Upright Position.
Avoid the expense of installation and startup delays by load testing your recently repaired
critical motor to identify performance or site-related issues. Load testing enables us to
identify reliability issues before your motor is stored in a warehouse for many years, and
validates the design of your repurposed motor.
At Bradleys, hollow and solid shaft vertical motor load testing is performed with your
vertical motor in the upright position.
Two Separate Load Test Stands to accommodate Vertical Motors:
»
Motors 0-1200 rpm up to 4500 HP, 34,000 lbf-ft of torque, motors weighing up to
75,000 lbs or more.
»
Motors 0-3600 rpm up to 2250 HP, 8,000 lbf-ft of torque, motors weighing up to
15,000 lbs or more.
These stands are designed with vibration monitoring in mind.
All performance parameters monitored and recorded in real time:
600 TX-35
Gregory, TX 78359
»
»
»
»
Power (KW, KVA, Volts, Amps, Power Factor, Efficiency)
»
VFD and Motor String Test up to 13.2 kV.
Temperature (6 Stator, 2 Bearing, 2 Ambient, Cooling Water)
Speed, Torque, Vibration & other data points
Data collection includes 100 samples per second recording of speed, current,
voltage and torque creates high resolution speed vs. current and torque curves.
Bradleys state of the art load testing facility also includes a comfortable observation
room to monitor your load test, or choose to monitor from the comfort of your office
via the web. See why the nation’s largest firms choose Bradleys to ensure their critical
motors are reliable and functioning at peak performance!
T: (361) 643-0100
www.bradleysmotors.com
Check 108 on index.
NEWS
AROUND THE INDUSTRY
Hydraulic Institute Hands Out
Distinguished Awards
PARSIPPANY, N.J. – The Hydraulic
Institute (HI) 2022 Annual Conference,
held March 22-24, 2022, concluded
with the presentation of awards for the
following categories:
Member of the Year: Rodney Mrkvicka,
vice president, engineering, Smith &
Loveless selected as the 2021 HI Member
of the Year.
During Mrkvicka’s 35-year career,
he has created more than a dozen U.S.
patents, holds half a dozen professional
licenses and certifications and is involved
in over five professional associations
including HI. Mrkvicka has been involved
in HI for 15 years.
Standards Partner of the Year: HI
recognized Paul Boyadjis, director of
rotating machinery analysis, Mechanical
Solutions as the 2021 Standards Partner
of the Year.
Boyadjis’ career spans over 30 years
and he has been active in HI for over a
decade. His specialty includes complex
3D solids modeling of pump casings
for stress and vibration analysis using
advanced finite element techniques.
In addition to his participation in HI,
Boyadjis contributes as an associate
editor to Tribology and Lubrication
Technology Magazine, has been
credited by his employer for conducting
detailed 3D finite element analysis
of failed casings and impellers and
troubleshooting water and wastewater
systems. Currently, Boyadjis is vice chair
of the ANSI/HI 9.6.4 Rotodynamic Pumps
for Vibration Measurement and Allowable
Values and is a contributing member on
several HI technical committees.
Pump Systems Matter Leadership
Award: HI recognized Zeljko Terzic,
global offering manager, Armstrong Fluid
Technology, as the 2021 Pump Systems
Matter Leadership Award.
Pump Systems Matter, HI’s
educational branch, provides training
and certifications to professionals in
the pump industry. Terzic has been
instrumental in PSM’s success by aiding
in the development of fluid flow and
energy optimization solution content.
Young Engineer of the Year: HI
recognized James Dawley, rotating
equipment engineer, ITT-Industrial
Process, as the 2021 Young Engineer of
the Year.
Dawley started his career as a project
engineer working with users to engineer
pumping system solutions in the oil
and gas, petrochemical, chemical and
industrial process industries. Dawley
joined HI in 2018 and has gained multiple
leadership roles. He led the development
of the friction loss calculator within
the Engineering Data Library. Dawley
serves as the vice-chair for ANSI/HI 5.15.6 Sealless Rotodynamic Pumps and
chair for HI 30.1 General Purpose OH1
Rotodynamic Pump Specification, both of
which were published in 2021.
easa.com
Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology
Group Changes Name
FALMOUTH, U.K. – Watson-Marlow Fluid
Technology Group, part of Spirax-Sarco
Engineering plc, a FTSE 100 company,
changed its name to Watson-Marlow
Fluid Technology Solutions (WMFTS).
The name change aligns with a strategic
commitment to providing end-to-end
fluid management solutions.
The vision that underpins the name
change is driving the closer alignment of
the Watson-Marlow brands and products
to enhance solutions across a growing
number of applications. In addition,
Watson-Marlow continues to develop its
sectorized, consultative sales approach
and digitize its business processes,
implementing a full website restructure
and upgrade.
wmfts.com
TRADE SHOW PREVIEW
EASA
June 26-28
America’s Center
St. Louis, MO
Exhibition Hours
Sunday, June 26
1 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Monday, June 27
11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Tuesday, June 28
9:30 a.m. – Noon
10
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
The Electrical Apparatus Service
Association (EASA) will hold its
annual convention and solutions expo
June 26-28, 2022, at the America’s Center in
St. Louis, Missouri, with bonus education on
June 25. The theme for the 2022 Convention
is Recalibrate • Realign • Refocus.
EASA’s 2022 convention education
lineup features a wide-ranging program
designed to address all areas of the
electromechanical sales and repair business.
This year’s featured keynote speaker,
John O’Leary, will kick off the convention
by bringing his message “Recalibrate: 7
Choices to Live a Radically Inspired Life”
challenging attendees to discover the
power of taking ownership of their life
and the impact it will have on the
bottom line.
More than 20 educational sessions are
available throughout the convention. Each
day of the EASA convention also features
the solutions expo where the industry’s
leading manufacturers and service providers
showcase the latest developments in electric
motors, drives and controls, generators,
and other equipment and services for the
electromechanical industry.
For the complete program, exhibitor listing
and to register, visit easa.com/convention.
Learn More
Pumps Made
Perfect
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Superior Control in a
Small Form Factor
Reducing Pump
Footprint
Predictive Analytics to
Minimize Downtime
Check 121 on index.
ON THE CURVE
Pumps and Pumping Systems
Made Easy and Fun – Volume 1
“A Bedside Companion”
by Lev Nelik, “Dr. Pump”
This book, the first of
three volumes, covers
all aspects of pumps
culminating with a
“MacGyver Specials” section reflecting on
the real-life balance between the theoretical
approach to solutions and a practical
“just-fix-it-now” attitude. “Pumps” covers
40 years of Nelik’s experience, starting as
a pump designer to a company president
and ending with the creation of his
consulting and troubleshooting company.
“Pumps” is an asset to young engineers
as well as the old-timers who will find
cases described in the book reflective of
their own experiences.
Waste: One Woman’s
Fight Against America’s
Dirty Secret
by Catherine Coleman Flowers
“Waste” spotlights how systemic class, racial and geographical
prejudice fosters third-world conditions in Lowndes County,
Alabama, where raw sewage flows into backyards and 1 in
every 3 adults tests positive for hookworms, according to the
Baylor College of Medicine and the Alabama Center for Rural
Enterprise. As NBC News reporter Yamiche Alcindor wrote,
“the plumbing systems in some of the houses are tied into the
county system but aren’t working properly or the connections
have failed entirely. Instead, many rely on pumping their
sewage into holes in their yards.” For more information or to
purchase the book, visit catherinecolemanflowers.com.
With water infrastructure funding on the
way across the U.S. following the IIJA, some
states, like Michigan, have begun using online
tools to track ongoing water improvements.
bit.ly/waterinfrastructuremap
12
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
@easahq members work
to stay on top of industry
trends. Here, 15 members
of the @easahq Ontario
Chapter participate in
training.
—EASA, @easahq
MOTION’S COMPLETE
BEARING RESOURCE GUIDE
E-BOOK: PREVENTING BEARING FAILURE
Everything you need to
know to get the most
from your bearings!
Scan to Download Today!
Check 129 on index.
COMMON PUMPING MISTAKES
Pump Checklist for
Hot Liquid Applications
JIM ELSEY | Summit Pump Inc.
All pumps have hydraulic limitations and
mechanical boundaries. From allowable
speeds to casing pressure to flange
loading, there are always limits and no
pump can cheat the laws of physics. In
the pump selection process, you must
consider all of the physical boundaries.
In the case of hot liquid applications,
most pump manufacturers will have a
standard pump selection that will provide
satisfactory service up to a range of
250 F (121 C) and perhaps even 300 F
(149 C) without modifications or extra
options. Operation above 300 F will
normally require some modifications
on all but the pumps specially designed
for high-temperature applications. The
primary concern is to provide a safe unit;
the strength of the materials must provide
both reliable pressure containment and
resistance to thermal shock.
Pumps compliant with American
National Standards Institute (ANSI) B73.1
are designed for 500 F (260 C) but may
require modifications/revisions to operate
at that temperature. The same pump
can often be made suitable for services
up to 600 F (316 C) or higher with added
modifications. There are several pump
manufacturers that produce pumps
specifically engineered for hot liquid
applications at temperatures in the 600 F
(316 C) and higher range. These specialized
high-temperature pumps will use centerline
mounting (casing) in lieu of base-mounted
support feet, mechanical cooling fans,
cooling fins, special materials and extended
bearing housings to both distance and
ostensibly mitigate the undesired effects of
operating at high temperature.
The purpose of this column is to provide
a general checklist to consider for hot
applications. This is not a comprehensive
list, and I suggest you check with each
pump manufacturer for their specific
14
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
guidelines. This list is focused on type OH1
overhung single-stage centrifugal pumps
as they are the most ubiquitous industrial
style, but many of these checks will also
apply to other pump geometries and types.
Recommendations
My recommendations are unabashed
and admittedly conservative—and in no
particular order.
Pump flange rating
Review and confirm the flange limits for the
temperature and pressure relative to the
material selection for the pump. Even with
Class 300# flanges in stainless steel (SS) or
CD4MCu, the maximum pressure allowed
will be around 375 pounds per square inch
gauge (psig) at 300 F (149 C). I prudently
recommend that if the application is above
300 F that Class 300# flanges be used
regardless, even if not required by other
criteria. For pressures and temperatures
that exceed the Class 300# flange rating,
you will require a specialty pump or
one that is manufactured and rated for
(American Petroleum Institute) API service
with corresponding higher rated flanges
and casing pressures.
Cost
Depending on the expected temperature
range, your operational/maintenance
finesse and the duty cycle, several
parameters will factor into the pump
selection. For example, if you will operate
the pumps continuously (few starts and
stops) and initially set the pump up with
the proper options, piping design and
alignments, a less expensive foot-mounted
pump can perform well up to 600 F (316 C).
Frequent heat-up and cooldown cycles and
other institutionally required operational
and maintenance steps combined with
experience and staff skill levels may lead
you to choose a specialty high-temperature
pump. The specialty pump will, at a
minimum, utilize a centerline supported
casing and other high temperature
compensating features. There is overlap in
the allowable temperature ranges for both
types and the user can decide where to
switch from the lower cost alternative after
a thorough total cost analysis.
Grease lubrication
Almost all grease lubrication choices will
start to falter around 225 F to 250 F. If your
application requires grease lubrication at
or above this temperature range, please
consult with a lubrication specialist. Some
special high-temperature greases may
allow operation at a higher temperature.
Oil lubrication
Oil lubrication should be used above 225 F
(107 C) and the higher the temperature of
the system, the more I recommend using a
synthetic oil specifically selected for hightemperature applications.
Bolting materials
Above 250 F (121 C), I recommend hightemperature bolting/hardware for the pump
fasteners. As a minimum starting point,
consider American Society for Testing and
Materials (ASTM) A193 B7/B8/B8M for the
high-temperature hardware.
Gasket materials/elastomers
Above 300 F (149 C), I recommend hightemperature casing gaskets and O-rings.
Regardless of the brand you use, be
aware of the negative effects due to high
temperatures and choose materials that
will be reliable for the application.
Bearing isolator
Regardless of the manufacturer, I
recommend that you seek consultation
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COMMON PUMPING MISTAKES
Temperature vs. Heat—
Or Intensive Property vs.
Extensive Property
Temperature is an
intensive property.
An intensive property means that
the amount of material present
will not change the specific traits
of the material or substance. As an
example, the boiling point of water
in an open container at sea level is
212 F (100 C). One gallon of water
boils at 212 F, the same as
10 gallons of water boils at 212 F.
Heat is an extensive
property.
An extensive property is one that
depends on the amount of material
present. As an example, consider
the amount of heat produced by
1 gallon of boiling water and how
that will differ from the amount
of heat produced by 10 gallons of
boiling water.
(Do not confuse extensive
properties with the specific heat
properties of a material. Specific
heat is the heat capacity per
unit mass. Consequently, it is an
intensive property.)
Example
A comparison of heat and
temperature can be demonstrated
by the sparks generated and
emitted by arc welding, but as a
more practical example I like to
use fireworks sparklers, which all
people can relate to. The sparks
that come off the burning sparkler
are expelled metal particles at
temperatures approaching 5,430
F (3,000 C). These sparks are
extremely hot and yet, if touched
by them, they will not burn you
or your clothes under normal
circumstances, even though the
temperature is extremely high. The
hot sparks (extensive property)
have little mass and, consequently,
a small amount of heat.
16
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
to determine the allowable temperature
range. Normally above 250 F (121 C), it
is recommended that the standard
materials be switched for hightemperature alternates.
Stuffing box cooling
My experience with stuffing box cooling is
that it typically does not work as intended
and makes little difference in the critical
temperature at the mechanical seal faces.
It does work to remove some heat from the
pump in general, which is a good thing. My
opinion is that you are better off investing
in a high-temperature mechanical seal and
supporting piping plan than in a cooled
stuffing box. You should consider both the
initial added cost of the cooler and the
operating/maintenance cost of supplying
the cooling water over time.
Alignment to driver
A foot-mounted pump will grow a
significant amount (vertically) when
operating at higher temperatures. A motor
driver that is vertically aligned for ambient
operating temperatures will be out of
tolerance at operating temperatures. You
need to calculate the thermal rise and also
perform a hot check alignment to verify.
C-face adaptors
Speaking of alignments, many ANSI pump
manufacturers will have optional offerings
for C-face adaptors to reduce the need for
tedious but necessary alignments. The
adaptors are particularly useful if there will
be frequent thermal swings associated with
startup and shutdown. Be aware that C-face
adaptors are not always perfect solutions.
Your experience with your specific
application will be the overall guideline. The
actual life of the coupling, mechanical seals
and bearings will be key decisive factors in
the decision process.
Pipe stress
There will always be some pipe stress
even in the best system designs. Be aware
that the higher temperatures create even
more pipe expansion and consequential
stress/strain. Consider working with a
piping design specialist for incorporation
of thermal loops and/or expansion
joints. Example: A 100-foot run of 6-inch
schedule-40 steel pipe will expand over
1.5 inches when heated from ambient
to approximately 200 F. The resultant
force exerted on the pump flange, if left
unrestrained, will be close to 190,000
pounds (lbs).
Even with a design specialist, the pump
installer (mechanic/millwright) must also
make sure the alignments are correctly
compensated for thermal contraction/
expansion and the piping that was properly
designed is also properly installed for
mitigation of the harmful effects caused by
the thermal stresses.
Rate of temperature change
How fast you heat up and cool down the
system will greatly affect system reliability
and equipment life. Almost no one pays
attention to the recommended rates for
the average industrial application because
the cost of process and operating time
is weighted over equipment costs and
reliability. Refineries and power plants
(especially nuclear) will be the exception to
this scenario.
The pump operator must ensure the unit
is methodically brought up to operating
temperature and again when cooling down.
I recommend a rate of no greater than
60 degrees an hour from ambient, which is
1 degree per minute.
Thermal expansion and contraction rates
Thermal expansion rates come into
play when the pump is starting up and
shutting down and sometimes with process
upsets (thermal swings with high rates of
temperature change). If all of the pump
components are of the same material, there
is less need for concern with the issues that
result from rotating pieces growing into the
stationary ones. If the pump is constructed
from a combination of cast steel (iron)
and 316 SS parts, then you have dissimilar
materials with different expansion/
contraction rates, but if the pump is
100% constructed from all 316 SS, there
is no issue.
Corrosion rates
Corrosion rates become even more
important on high-temperature
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deleterious results inherent with thermal shock issues.
Physical strength
Cast steel is stronger than 316 SS from approximately 50 F to
800 F, but as the process and the material becomes hotter,
the 316 SS will be stronger than the carbon steel. Another
way to look at this is that carbon steel gets weaker from 150 F to
800 F, but the 316 SS strength remains the same and, after
800 F, 316 SS is stronger than carbon steel, which continues to
lose strength.
Specific heat (heat capacity) and thermal conductivity
316 SS has poor heat conductivity properties, which on the
surface may seem like a bad thing, but it is not. The 316 SS
material will get just as hot (temperature) as the carbon steel
for a given application, but due to the specific heat capacity
and the thermal conductivity of 316 SS, the key point is that
less heat will be transferred. This property works well when
you do not want to transfer heat to the bearings, lubricating
oil, labyrinths, bearing isolators and mechanical seals. Do not
confuse heat with temperature. Heat is energy and temperature
is just a relative measure of the magnitude of the heat (see
sidebar). If temperature is measured in Kelvin degrees, then its
value is directly proportional to the average kinetic energy of
the molecules of a substance (heat). Again, temperature is not
energy—it is a number proportional to a type of energy.
In summary, I have covered some of the main concerns for
operating a pump in a hot application. Of no less importance,
but not addressed here, is selection advice for the mechanical
seal, the geometry/type of stuffing box, the seal piping plan,
calculating thermal rise, high-temperature paints, lubrication
cooling versus bearing, bearing housing cooling, water cooled
pedestals, the coupling and the net positive suction head (NPSH)
margin. Perhaps we will address those in a later column.
For now, stay cool.
Jim Elsey is a mechanical engineer with more than 50 years of experience in
rotating equipment for industrial and marine applications around the world. He
is an engineering advisor for Summit Pump, Inc., and an active member of the
American Society of Mechanical Engineers, National Association of Corrosion
Engineers and the Naval Submarine League. Elsey is also the principal of
MaDDog Pump Consulting LLC. He may be reached at jim@summitpump.com.
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applications. Corrosion rates increase exponentially with
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17
GUEST COLUMN
Vibration: Inevitable & Necessary
GARY DYSON | Hydro
Vibration measuring and monitoring has
become one of the most important factors
when determining the health of a machine.
The levels set by American Petroleum
Institute (API) 610 have been widely
adopted, and a great deal of effort has been
made to ensure that even the smallest
machines are equipped with vibration
measuring equipment.
There is now a lot of equipment available
to retrofit sensors to pumps. Using the data,
though, can be difficult as each system
appears to offer a vast array of data options
without much guidance on how the data
can or should be used.
Layer on top of this data the enormous
amount of analysis capability—such as
operating deflection shape (ODS) and
modal—and the new systems such as
motion amplification and the volume of
data can be overwhelming.
Every pump vibrates. If it doesn’t, it is
not in operation. Monitoring the vibration
of the machine has never improved the
reliability of the machine. Building a picture
of the health of the machine and taking
action based on this, and understanding
the overall picture, is the key to reliability
improvements.
Pump Vibration Data
Pumps have specific frequencies that can
generally be associated with a machine in
operation. These are good places to start
with monitoring.
1x rotational speed
This is generally associated with the
mechanical balance of the pump.
There is also an element of hydraulic
unbalance caused by the machine rotating
passageways being filled with liquid.
Small changes in the shape between each
impeller channel cause the weight of
rotating fluid to be different between each
18
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
IMAGE 1: Impeller with a
hydraulic center, which is
different than the mechanical
center. (Images courtesy of Hydro)
channel. No matter how
well balanced the impeller
is in air, there will be some
element of unbalance as
1x when the impeller is in
operation. 1x is inevitable.
2x alignment
This is generally associated
with the quality of the
alignment of the pump to the
driver. Using sophisticated alignment
tools helps to reduce the 2x alignment
frequency but it will never be eliminated.
2x is inevitable.
Number of Impeller Vanes x
Rotational Speed—Vane Pass
& Its Multiples
Pumped liquid progresses through the
impeller and gains energy, and this
energized liquid passes from the impeller to
the volute or diffuser. There is an inherent
variation of velocity across one impeller
pitch (Image 4) and passing this on to the
collector causes the vane pass vibration and
its associated multiple. Using an analogy
of a rotating saw tooth as a mental image
helps to fix this concept in the mind.
Understanding these fundamentals and
how these are changing is a good start in
understanding what is happening to the
machine. Using vibration monitoring that
can produce a spectrum and phase data
IMAGE 2: Illustration of alignment errors
gives a much better view for diagnosing
and catching emerging issues.
Taken alone, vibration gives users a
small proportion of the picture, and there
are many more questions to ask.
For example:
• How was the machine started?
Was it ready?
• What are the bearing temperatures?
How are they changing?
• Where is the machine operating on
its curve?
• How is the operating regime changing
with time?
• What is the suction pressure?
• What is the discharge pressure?
IMAGE 3: Impeller saw tooth analogy
•
•
•
•
•
•
What do you see?
What do you hear?
How is the piping?
How is the foundation?
Is everything in place—missing
bolting, etc.?
How was the machine stopped?
Having a feel for the overall condition
of the equipment is as essential as the
remote vibration data. Once you have built a
IMAGE 4: Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) illustration of absolute velocity change across one
impeller blade pitch
strong mental picture of the machine,
then the vibration data becomes valuable.
Without that mental picture, the data is just
information without context.
Vibration measurement and monitoring
are valuable tools in the fight against poor
reliability. Alone, though, it is not enough.
Fundamental understanding, relentless
and thorough investigation in order to
identify initiating events, in addition to
machine modification to mitigate and
eliminate the fundamental causes of the
reliability problems, are what actually make
a difference.
If you accept poor reliability, that’s what
you will get.
Gary Dyson is managing director with Hydro
Global Engineering Services. He has a doctorate
from Cranfield University and 30 years of
experience in senior positions with many pump
industry manufacturers. For more information,
visit hydroinc.com.
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19
VIBRATION & ALIGNMENT
New ANSI/ASA Sha Alignment
Standard Adopted
The standard addresses basic mounting, base issues and more.
EUGENE VOGEL | EASA
The Need for a Standard
represents a big step forward. Previously,
there was no industry-wide standard for
setting shaft alignment tolerances and best
practices; so, the task fell to machinery
manufacturers and organizations focused
on industry-specific applications.
For example, American Petroleum
Institute (API) 670 provided shaft
alignment tolerances for certain
hydrodynamic pumps used in the
petrochemical industry. Guidance on shaft
alignment tolerances and best practices
was developed by various industry
mechanical engineering experts and by
vendors of shaft alignment instruments.
Although the most ubiquitous use similar
methodologies and curves to illustrate
tighter tolerances for higher speed
machines, they vary considerably in
allowable residual misalignment.
Before going further, it is important to
acknowledge that ANSI/ASA S2.75-17
Purpose & Scope
Shaft alignment is a critical step in the
installation of rotating machinery, in a
new installation or a repaired machine.
Skipping or botching this step can decrease
operating efficiency and shorten machine
life. The procedure for aligning two rotating
machines requires measuring their relative
shaft positions and adjusting one or both
machine cases, usually by shimming
at the feet. Until recently, though, how
closely the shafts need to be aligned was
an open question. That changed with the
publication of American National Standards
Institute/Acoustical Society of America
(ANSI/ASA) standard 2.75-17. Here is a
summary of what it covers and how it
will benefit users involved with shaft
machinery alignment.
ANSI/ASA S2.75-2017/Part 1
AMERICAN NATIONAL STANDARD
ANSI/ASA S2.75-2017/Part 1
Shaft Alignment Methodology, Part 1: General Principles,
Methods, Practices, and Tolerances
Accredited Standards Committee S2, Mechanical Vibration and Shock
Standards Secretariat
Acoustical Society of America
300 Walt Whitman Road, Suite 300
Melville, NY 11747
IMAGE 1: Part 1 of the ANSI/ASA universal shaft
alignment standard. (Images courtesy of EASA)
20
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
In December 2013, the Vibration Institute
and the ASA initiated a joint effort to create
a universal, industry-wide shaft alignment
standard. That effort culminated in 2017
with the publication of “ANSI/ASA S2.752017: Shaft Alignment Methodology,
Parts 1 and 2. Part 1: General Principles,
Methods, Practices, and Tolerances.” This
standard addresses shaft alignment of the
most common machine configuration: A
horizontal machine with a driver and driven
component, each with two bearings (a fourbearing set) and a flexible coupling between
the shafts. “Part 2: Vocabulary” defines the
terms used in Part 1. Part 3, which is slated
for publication in 2022, will address shaft
alignment of vertical machines.
Besides guidance on shaft alignment
tolerances, ANSI/ASA S2.75-2017
provides methodology for manual and
laser measurements. It also establishes
alignment quality grades, describes
best practice for corrective moves and
addresses basic mounting and base issues.
Additionally, the document includes several
informative annexes, including:
• alignment principles
• machine move calculation formulas
• identifying and correcting pipe strain
• off-line-to-running (OLTR) methods
• laser detector systems
• graphic alignment modeling
• repeatability
• alignment and machinery
installation checklist
Tolerances
Among the fundamental concerns ANSI/
ASA S2.75-2017 addresses are acceptable
relative shaft position (shaft alignment)
tolerances. It also prescribes tolerances for
other critical factors such as base flatness
and level, shaft runout, coupling runout,
soft foot and OLTR machinery movement.
In addition, the standard specifies a
tolerance for pipe and conduit strain, which
“shall not be sufficient to cause changes in
the shaft alignment of magnitude greater
than 50 micrometers (2 mils; mil = 1/1000
of an inch) vertical or horizontal measured
at the coupling.” The included Annex C
provides a methodology for identifying and
correcting this condition when aligning
pump shafts.
Alignment Principles
Importantly, ANSI/ASA S2.75-2017 provides
a comprehensive approach to the shaft
alignment process, including a flow chart
that shows key steps and decision points.
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VIBRATION & ALIGNMENT
offset and an angle) to a single angle,
making it easier to achieve.
Alignment Quality Grades
ANSI/ASA S2.75-2017 provides alignment
quality grades in units of mils/in (µm/mm)
based on machine operating speed and flex
plane angles, directly related to the ratio of
the offset at the flex plane to the flex plane
separation. The tolerances are provided in
tables and graphically on an alignment
grades chart (Image 3). They also can be
calculated by the formula in Equation 1.
IMAGE 2: Offset and angularity vs. flex plane angles (ANSI/ASA S2.75-2017: Part 1)
Alignment Grades
mils offset / inch (µm/mm) of separation
6.000
5.000
4.000
T=
3.000
2.000
1.000
0.000
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
RPM
Alignment Grade 1
Alignment Grade 2
Alignment Grade 3
Alignment Grade 4
Alignment Grade 5
Minimal Alignement Grade 1.2
Standard Alignement Grade 2.2
Precision Alignment Grade 4.5
IMAGE 3: Alignment grade chart
IMAGE 4: A coupling alignment offset measurement of 0.004-inch at one flex plan and a span of 2 inches
equals a ratio of 4 mils/2-inch = 2 mils/in
Of the two common methods for
evaluating shaft-to-shaft alignment (Image
2), one uses the offset and angularity
between shaft centerlines to indicate
alignment. The other evaluates the offset
at each of the two coupling faces relative to
the distance between them, yielding a pair
of angles described in mils of offset/inches
of separation (mils/in or µm/mm).
ANSI/ASA S2.75-2017 refers to the
flexible member between the coupling
hubs as a coupling mechanical link (CML).
22
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
The angularity between the CML and each
hub that occurs at a point called the flex
plane accommodates the shaft-to-shaft
misalignment. Because these two flex
plane angles represent the work done by
flexible coupling more accurately than
offset and angularity values, ANSI/ASA
S2.75-2017 uses this method to establish
alignment tolerances.
Another advantage of this method is
that it reduces the tolerance required at
both flex planes from two values (an
ALG
RPM + 1
1000
Equation 1
The chart highlights three alignment
grades: AL4.5 = minimal; AL2.2 =
acceptable; and AL1.2 = excellent. A
machine manufacturer, service provider
or end user can choose any alignment
grade based on machine construction
and operating condition, independent of
operating speed. So, a pump manufacturer
that builds sturdy machines for rough
service might specify AL2.0 for its
machines, whereas a machine tool
manufacturer desiring exceptionally
smooth operation may specify AL1.0. A
manufacturing plant could specify AL1.2
for newly installed machines but allow
AL2.2 when boundary conditions (e.g., bolt
bound or base bound) limit machine moves.
For example, a coupling alignment
offset measurement (reverse dial indicator
or laser system) of 0.004 inch at one flex
plane and a flex plane separation of 2
inches would be a ratio of 4 mils/2 inches
= 2 mils/inch (Image 4). The alignment
grades chart (Image 3) shows that at
1,800 rotations per minute (rpm), a flex
plane angle of 2 mils/in is above AL2.2 and
below AL4.5. To improve this alignment to
AL1.2, both flex plane angles must be less
than 0.72 mils/in, with an actual measured
offset of less than 1.44 mils at each flex
plane. These values can be calculated from
the formula mentioned earlier. Note: Both
flex plane angles must be within tolerance
so it is only necessary to evaluate the
greater of the two.
Check 117 on index.
VIBRATION & ALIGNMENT
Many alignment technicians are familiar
with the tolerance tables various alignment
tool vendors provide. Usually, these tables
give shaft centerline offset and angularity
values for common machine rpms when
the coupling hub separation is less than 4
inches and offset values at the coupling hub
when separation is greater than 4 inches.
This method represents a compromise
between concerns about the forces that
misalignment imposes on couplings and
the desire to have tolerances in the format
that was popular when coupling alignment
was done only with straight edges and
feeler gauges.
For convenience, ANSI/ASA S2.75-2017
provides tables in the offset and angularity
format with values that correspond to its
AL4.5 minimal, AL2.2 acceptable and AL1.2
excellent tolerances. Meeting those values
will ensure conformity with corresponding
tolerances in the standard, but the
geometric differences between tolerance
formats may result in closer alignment than
necessary. While that is not bad for the
machine, it may take extra time and effort.
Making Machine Moves
ANSI/ASA S2.75-2017 is not a training
manual, but it does provide information and
guidelines for moving machine cases—a
step in the alignment process that can be
frustrated by such issues as soft foot and
base-bound or bolt-bound conditions. For
example, it mentions jacking screws and
related techniques for adjusting machine
position in a controlled manner and
addresses the importance of positioning
axial spacing (coupling gap). Though
limited in scope, this information will be
helpful to alignment technicians who
encounter these issues.
The absence of a comprehensive shaft
alignment standard has been a stumbling
block to creating effective training and
work procedures. ANSI/ASA S2.75-2017
marks a new day for end users, instrument
vendors and consultants involved with
machinery shaft alignment. With a
comprehensive standard, produced with
input from a broad array of machinery
technical experts, work procedures and
technical specifications can agree, and
shaft alignment technicians will not have
to rely on a patchwork of best practices and
sometimes erroneous rules of thumb.
Part 1 of ANSI/ASA S2.75-2017 addresses
alignment of common four-bearing sets
with flexible couplings, and soon-tobe-published Part 3 will cover vertical
machines that often have solid couplings or
Cardan shaft drives. While additional parts
may be forthcoming, together Parts 1 and
3 will encompass the major segment of
common industrial machines.
Eugene Vogel is a pump and vibration specialist at
EASA, Inc. in St. Louis, Missouri. He may be reached
at 314-993-2220 or 314-993-1269 (fax). For more
information, visit easa.com.
Check 146 on index.
24
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
VIBRATION & ALIGNMENT
Solving Vibration Problems at
Whitewater Rafting Facility
Several challenges, including long lead times, were identified by an aftermarket service provider.
CHRIS ARMSTRONG & JORDAN SCHULTZ | Evans Enterprises
Oklahoma City’s Boathouse district
brings a unique spin to entertainment
and attraction in the region. Offering a
multitude of outdoor adventures and
located conveniently in the OKC metro, the
Boathouse district brings adventure for
residents and tourists with rowing, highspeed slides, paddleboarding, kayaking,
canoeing, zip-lining and more.
The Riversport Rapids is the most recent
add-on to the Boathouse district. This is
one of only three man-made whitewater
attractions in the United States. This facility
includes a large lift station structure that
houses six medium-voltage (4,160 volts),
700-horsepower (hp) mass flow submersible
pumps. Each pump weighs 22,000 pounds
(lbs) and is capable of moving 82,000
gallons of chlorinated pool water per
minute. They pump through two channels
and create class II-IV rapids.
On a normal day, three to four pumps
can be running together in order to provide
whitewater rapids for tourism customers.
During Olympic trial events, all six pumps
are used to create true whitewater rapid
conditions. This course has half a million
gallons per minute moving when all six
pumps are on. Each of these pumps is
controlled by a soft starter.
During the initial construction phase,
installation and startup, several challenges
were identified with these pumps. Multiple
vibration problems were immediately
noticed and Oklahoma City began
looking for help to identify the issues.
Together, with the pump manufacturer
and user, an aftermarket service and repair
company assisted in finding solutions and
completing all startup requirements for the
lift station structure.
The manufacturer
and municipal
customer also needed a
long-term total service
provider capable of not
only assisting during
the startup phase of
the project but also
helping to maintain
six large submersible
pumps for years to
follow. The provider
was able to give field
support, in-shop repairs,
adjustments and long-term solutions.
Since inception, several minor vibration
problems were identified along with
adjustments in length needed to wire rope
and lift the apparatus. Some of the work
included replacing thrust bearings, guide
bearings, mechanical seals, lip seals, seal
sleeves and O-rings.
The service provider was also able to
assist in the replacement and repair of the
impeller and locking nut and provide a new
power cable. Throughout the repair process,
all parts were steamed and cleaned,
including stator housing. Then they were
baked out, dried and clean electrical baker
tests were performed and documented.
The rotor was put on the balancing
machine where it was balanced to a G1
specification. Final assembly, electric
testing and paint were completed prior to
the return of the pump. Other challenges
were long lead times on parts coming from
overseas providers.
Solution
In collaboration with Oklahoma City and
theme park management, the repair
IMAGE 1: Riversport Rapids whitewater facility
(Image courtesy of Evans Enterprises)
service provider decided to order a spare
parts kit, including a spare impeller. This
equipment is pre-positioned and stored in
the aftermarket repair shop.
In the event that one of the mass flow
pumps goes down and/or starts having
any vibration issues, the service provider
can then minimize downtime for the user.
The provider also works with the city and
theme park to rotate two pumps through
the repair shop during off-peak season for
preventative maintenance. This allows more
time for pulling pumps, transporting pumps
to the shop, making required repairs and
reinstalling pumps.
Chris Armstrong is account manager at Evans
Enterprises. He may be reached at chris.armstrong@
goevans.com.
Jordan Schultz is director of business development
at Evans Enterprises. She may be reached at jordan.
schultz@goevans.com. For more information, visit
goevans.com.
PUMPSANDSYSTEMS.COM
25
VIBRATION & ALIGNMENT
Using Vibration
Data to Predict
& Prevent
Failure
Vibration analysis and condition
monitoring can be used together
and can offer a substantial
return on investment.
JOHN BERNET | Fluke Reliability
IMAGE 1: Faults in pumps can be detected months in advance. Using vibration or temperature data, users
can identify trends that can be used to screen for potential problems. (Image courtesy of Fluke Reliability)
Pumps are great candidates for condition
monitoring programs. Early detection
of potential faults through condition
monitoring means that action can be taken
before failures or unplanned downtime
occur. Condition monitoring leads to
two types of savings. One is going to be
from the reduction of emergency repairs:
machines are going to be running longer,
no loss of production, no emergency repairs
and reduced safety issues. Second, once
users know the condition of their machines,
they can reduce or eliminate unnecessary
planned maintenance.
Pumps often run under the same
conditions for long periods. While some
things, such as high-speed precision tools,
wear rapidly, pumps are more predictable.
Faults can be detected months in advance.
By looking at factors such as vibration and
temperature, users can see trends that can
be used to screen for potential problems
and provide insight into a pump’s condition.
Using Vibration Measurement Data
There are some variables in pumps; for
example, sometimes the process can
change. But in most modern condition
monitoring programs, it is possible to
filter out or ignore extraneous factors and
focus on things that would be indicators of
26
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
faults. By looking at patterns in the pump’s
vibration, users can find known faults
and set up algorithms and templates that
follow and track these faults. The vibration
patterns are well-known and established
and they track easily, so it is simple to
identify a fault and its severity—and to
know what to do about it and how soon.
Modern vibration measurement and
vibration analysis tools have been designed
and tested over many years. They have
proven to be trustworthy in that they make
it simple to screen out what is working and
what is not just by looking at the overall
vibration in the low frequency range.
A user can be taught to screen vibration
data from a portable hand-held vibration
tool or a wireless remote sensor. There are
also portable and wireless tools and sensors
that are more sophisticated. They can be
used to set up narrow band alarms.
Think about overall vibration as a broad
band alarm—that is, users can set a band
over a large band of frequency and then
look at all of the vibration data.
To know what a specific fault pattern
is, users need narrow band alarms, which
look at smaller frequency ranges. By
knowing where the frequency is and
whether that fault is showing up on the
motor or the pump, a user does not have to
be an expert to find the four most common
faults: imbalance, misalignment, bearings
and looseness.
Tools can give an alarm when one
of those frequency bands is exceeded,
meaning a fault has been detected. That
is why pumps are prime candidates for
condition monitoring and particularly pilot
programs: they follow predictable patterns.
Launching a Condition
Monitoring Pilot Program
Many maintenance teams want to start
condition monitoring programs by choosing
complex, production-critical machines. But
to realize the benefits, it is better to start
with the machines that are predictable
before the more complicated machines that
have more variables.
When deciding which vibration
monitoring tools to use, there are a
couple of factors to consider. One is the
accessibility of the machine. Another is the
resources of the team—both in terms of
staff and the budget available.
Portable tools can be beneficial because
one tool can be used among hundreds
of machines. The downside is that users
might not have access to the bearings
of the machines or the necessary labor
hours available.
Another option is wireless vibration
sensors. With these sensors, there is a
cost. While each one may cost less than a
portable vibration tool, depending on the
number of machines, a facility may need
dozens to hundreds of sensors.
There are benefits to using wireless
vibration sensors. Users will not have to
worry about machines being remote or
inaccessible or the labor involved in doing
rounds, like with a portable tool. And with
wireless vibration sensors mounted directly
on machinery, users can receive more
data more often. With around-the-clock
asset condition data, users can focus their
attention on the machines that need it and
prioritize the team’s time and efforts.
Most teams find they want to use a
combination of both types of tools. In
general, it is recommended to begin a
pilot program by choosing a few machines
that are easy to access with a portable
tool and then choosing a few hard-toaccess machines for installation of
wireless sensors.
YOUR PARTNER FOR
WATER
SYSTEMS
Advancing Maintenance
Programs
John Bernet is a mechanical application and product
specialist with Fluke Reliability. He has more than
30 years of experience in the maintenance and
operation of commercial machinery and as a nuclear
power plant electrician in the U.S. Navy. Bernet holds
a Category II vibration analyst certification and is a
certified maintenance reliability professional (CMRP).
For more information, visit fluke.com.
The Pioneer Pump® ElectricPAK™ delivers more than just a modular
design that can arrive on-site and startup quickly. It’s also engineered
from the ground up to offer a fully streamlined experience for both
owners and operators. From initial selection, to installation, to a
lifetime of operation: durability and performance are built into
every component. Each configured assembly includes highperformance pumps and electric motors that provide
better flow, higher head and greater efficiency.
SCAN &
LEARN MORE
Check 116 on index.
Over time, users can transition from runto-failure and planned maintenance to
a program that has almost all conditionbased maintenance with few planned
maintenance and corrective maintenance.
Part of this process is learning which
machines need a condition monitoring
program. Not every machine in a plant
warrants condition monitoring. The
transition period is when users can evaluate
the machines to put on the program.
As users learn the benefits and see
success, they can build a return on
investment case to get more budget and
expand the program. Users are already busy
with keeping the plant up and running, so
they can set their team up for success by
starting small with a pilot program.
pioneerpump.com
PUMPSANDSYSTEMS.COM
27
VIBRATION & ALIGNMENT
What Is Motion
Amplification?
Visualizing vibration through
motion amplification allows users
to diagnose critical equipment
and improve asset reliability.
PAUL J. BARNA | RDI Technologies
IMAGE 1: Motion amplification test of oil and gas engine-driven reciprocating compressor
(Image courtesy of RDI Technologies)
The use of skid-based designs, compounded
with reciprocating driven components and
complex piping structures, leaves many
with a time-consuming and complicated
issue. How do users efficiently and
effectively monitor and ensure the safe,
reliable operations of every component? Are
the rotating components the most critical?
Or is the structure and piping just as
important? What about instrumentation?
Each of these questions is answered
differently when using standard monitoring
equipment. Each test and measurement
device used has the capability to diagnose,
trend and identify potential problems. The
use of these systems often requires years of
training, collection and interpretation, and
it is left to the user performing the testing
to take action on potential failures or faults.
How, then, do users communicate
effectively with management, production,
maintenance and everyone responsible?
Do they receive complex data sets,
graphs, spectrums and waveforms? When
looking at the data provided, do they truly
understand all of it?
Motion amplification is a way to
see what is going on with rotating,
reciprocating, piping and structural
components. Motion amplification uses
high-definition video to capture a 5-to10-second video that is then processed
through software to enhance the movement
measured so users can see movement they
would not be able to see with the naked
eye. With the use of visual technology,
each pixel of the video becomes a sensor
providing millions of data points. Plus, it
28
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
does not get much safer than zero contact
with the asset. The output is a video where
users can see what is moving, at what
frequencies, at what phase angle, and how
much it is moving at a specific location.
Motion amplification can minimize
the amount of manpower and testing
required to understand what is going on
with individual or complex assets. The
outputs of motion amplification are then
turned into videos. This often gives the
ability to see the true root cause of the
problem. More importantly, with the use of
motion amplification and the video output,
communications are improved by allowing
everyone to see what is going on without
having to read through paragraphs of
summarization.
In Image 1, how many tests would users
need to perform to understand the overall
reliability and operations of the total asset?
More importantly, how much manpower
and time would users need to perform these
tests? In less than 10 seconds, motion
amplification can provide users with what
would have taken months of testing.
With this, users are able to see
the rotational components and their
movement, as well as the main structure
and inlet and discharge piping movement.
Reviewing the video allows users to
see the instrumentation panel and
cluster movement along with a display
of the overall movement. With each
pixel having a measurement and phase
ability, users can gather information to
aid in troubleshooting and diagnosing
potential movements.
The software capabilities provide
spectral and waveform data of the
movement in both the X and Y coordinates
as they pertain to the field of view by using
the computer cursor as a virtual sensor and
allowing the user to place a “box” over the
area of movement of interest. These areas
can then be used to quantify how much and
what frequency of movement is present.
One feature is the ability to filter to
different frequencies without having to
acquire another video. This provides the
ability to visualize specific frequencies
where the video will only show the
movement of each pixel at that specific
filtered frequency or range. The user can
process the video into several videos with
different filters to see what is going on with
the entire asset at different frequencies.
This method allows for the safest
collection as there is no contact needed to
measure the asset. It allows for quick, easy
acquisition and minimal time to process
the videos. The system is portable and easy
to move and reposition, allowing the user to
record multiple angles.
The output of a video with the ability
to provide quantified data of frequencies
and movements allows for the diagnosis or
determination of critical actions or items
that may be concerning and need to be
addressed to fix or improve the overall
asset reliability.
Paul J. Barna is Southwest and West sales manager
at RDI Technologies. For more information, visit
rditechnologies.com.
ARE YOU
ENVIEOUS
YET?
NEXT GEN
PUMPS
FOR SUBMERSIBLE & DRY PIT APPLICATIONS
envie3.cranepumps.com
Check 110 on index.
VIBRATION
& ALIGNMENT
Why Permanent Alignment Is Important
in Electric-Driven Pump Packages
Rigid motor stool designs can offer time and cost savings.
RJ GATES | Franklin Electric Company, Inc., TOBY WILSON | Pioneer Pump, a brand of Franklin Electric &
MELISSA WRIGHT | Franklin Electric Company, Inc
Pump packages that are used for
dewatering and bypass purposes often take
a beating, from operation to transportation
to a jobsite in the first place. At a time when
labor costs are on the rise and raw materials
are scarce, durability and low maintenance
operation have never been more important.
Just as important is ensuring the pumps
and motors operate at optimum efficiency.
These factors have raised concerns over
pump vibration and the resulting problems
it can cause.
Mitigating vibration often comes down
to ensuring a pump and motor assembly
are properly aligned, and many times
this process can be overlooked or not
performed. Anyone who has completed an
alignment on a pump and electric motor
assembly knows the process can be tedious.
It requires precision and an experienced
service professional to get the units
realigned properly. This process must
be repeated any time the pump is moved to
a new location or shows signs of vibration.
Because the process is so labor intensive, it
sometimes does not happen or is not done
properly. This can lead to other long-term,
vibration-related maintenance issues,
including seal failures, unexpected
power losses and—in worst-case
A rigid motor stool can eliminate alignment
concerns that result from everyday use of the
unit or the environment it is operating in.
30
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
IMAGE 1 Electric-driven pump package in a mining
application (Image courtesy of Franklin Electric
Company, Inc.)
scenario situations—a broken shaft.
These issues can also cause pump users
to completely rule out using an electricdriven pump since they assume the cost
and efficiency savings will not offset
alignment issues.
However, there is a solution: using a
bracket that rigidly connects the pump
and motor together. This bracket, also
known as a motor stool, is engineered
to precise tolerances to ensure that the
coupling remains permanently aligned
and protected. It eliminates any concerns
with shifting during transport or operation,
saving countless hours of service time. If
this method of assembly sounds familiar,
it is because it takes its inspiration from a
typical diesel coupling with a bell housing
that is bolted to an engine. However, in the
case of an electric pump package, users
benefit from the energy efficiency that
electric motors offer without sacrificing
performance, power or alignment.
call for
NOMINATIONS!
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TC
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TO W
Help us honor the most promising up-and-comers under 40 years
old in the pumps industry.
Please go to pumpsandsystems.com/10towatch for more
contest information and fill out the nomination form for the best
and brightest in your company!
Nominations will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. ET, August 31, 2022.
Winners will be announced in the December 2022 issue of Pumps
& Systems magazine.
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pumpsandsystems.com/10towatch
PUMPSANDSYSTEMS.COM
31
VIBRATION & ALIGNMENT
Benefits of Electric Pump Packages
With Rigid Motor Stool Design
Experience easier setup a er transport
A pump and motor system is typically
large, heavy and bulky, weighing in at
several tons. For their initial placement,
they may be shipped hundreds of miles,
encountering bumps, stops and turns along
the way. Once they arrive, they are usually
unloaded by a forklift, jostled around and
set on-site. From there, they might be
moved as mobile dewatering needs change
within an area. If the unit is used as a rental
asset, it will be moved back to a storage
facility only to be moved again to its
next job.
One example of this is a temporary
municipal application, like a sewer bypass.
In addition to the initial transport to the
site, additional issues may occur: the
ground may not be level, a suction pipe
may not be fully supported and the pumps
frequently cavitate.
In each of these situations, and after
any transport, the pump and motor must be
realigned. This alignment requires exacting
laser measurements that are not only
time-consuming but also expensive. With
a rigid motor stool design, the need for
realignment can be eliminated.
A motor stool setup ensures alignment
and smooth running, and a robust, modular
design focused on portable rugged use is
a good choice for users who need strong
equipment operating quickly. Pumps can
be fully operational in hours, not days
after transport.
In fixed installations, the system
designer may determine that grouting is
not required due to the rigid alignment,
opting instead to just secure the package
to a rigid slab with anchors. This also saves
time during the installation process.
Eliminate vibration issues caused from
skipping alignment
Because alignment is time-consuming
and costly, it may not be performed. In
dewatering and bypass applications, time
is always valuable. For example, municipal
applications are often rental units, which
means they are regularly transported in a
fleet. Municipal installations in most cases
have urgent pumping needs, and there is
32
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
typically no time to spare to perform onsite alignment once the unit arrives. The
extra step of realigning a pump package
after transport can be eliminated if the
pump remains rigidly aligned.
When an alignment is not performed
or is done too quickly, the misalignment
will lead to vibration issues. In time, this
vibration can result in seal failures, oil
leaks, shortened bearing life and more. In
extreme situations, this vibration can cause
the coupling to fail and the shaft to break.
Consistent vibration also leads to pumps
that need to be rebuilt. Again, with a rigid
motor stool design, vibration is not a
concern because misalignments will never
be an issue.
Extend pump life
Even permanently installed pump and
motor packages that never move can suffer
from misalignment over time. Despite
their bulk, electric pump packages can be
sensitive to movement. Nonzero nozzle
loads are unavoidable, and misalignment
and the resulting vibration concerns
can occur as a result of nozzle loads.
Misalignment can also happen when
regular maintenance is performed on a
pump or motor. A motor stool protects
against misalignment that may occur
during the life of a pump.
Mining applications provide good
examples of these vibration and
maintenance concerns in action. Mines
are often hazardous environments, and
pump packages are usually at risk of
being hit by trucks and other pieces
of equipment. A rigid motor stool can
eliminate alignment concerns that result
from everyday use of the unit or the
environment it is operating in.
Mining pump packages are also
frequently moved around the jobsite and
have pipe and hose exerting loads on the
pump and base. This makes a strong
pump/motor connection more important
since the resulting vibration can cause
misalignment.
Save time
Systems that feature a rigid bracket
assembly are designed to be modular,
which can help users get an electric pump
package on-site for operation quickly and
efficiently. The modular design is built
using interchangeable parts, delivering
upfront time savings for the system
designer as well.
Custom-built units can take longer to
engineer and often require specialized
parts. A modular design makes the sizing
and quoting process fast and the use of
standard parts drives down lead time.
These pump packages also offer
streamlined maintenance since the
modular design can be disassembled
quickly, helping to reduce operating costs
over the life of the system.
When thinking about these benefits,
it is important to remember that often
facilities and users may operate more than
one pumping system. Worrying about
alignment for a single unit is a big enough
concern; consider those alignment needs
across three, six or more units and the
benefits of permanent alignment multiply.
Whether for mining, municipal bypass
or another application entirely, alignment
matters. Electric-driven pump packages
that feature a rigid motor stool design can
reduce time-consuming alignment work,
saving owners and operators on initial setup
costs as well as maintenance costs down
the road.
Get More Info
For more on vibration,
visit pumpsandsystems.
com/tags/vibration
RJ Gates is the director product management of
Franklin Electric Company, Inc. He can be reached at
rgates@pioneerpump.com.
Toby Wilson is business development manager,
Pioneer Pump, a brand of Franklin Electric. He can
be reached at toby.wilson@pioneerpump.com.
Melissa Wright is the marketing strategist–industrial,
Franklin Electric Company, Inc. She can be reached
at melissa.wright@fele.com. For more information,
visit franklin-electric.com or pioneerpump.com.
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MOTORS & DRIVES
Do Not Let
These Motor
Analyses
Shake You
IMAGE 2: Torsional
twisting of motor rotor
Understand how resonance
and drivetrain design
issues might be behind
vibration problems.
BLAKE BAILEY | designmotors
IMAGE 1: Vertical motor on pump base (Images
courtesy of designmotors)
In industrial reliability circles, motor
vibration is a well-documented and muchdiscussed topic. The usual suspects include
things that go wrong on installation,
get damaged or show up as a motor is
operated over time, leading to issues that
can be rectified without design changes
to the system. But what about when there
are vibration problems upon startup and
nothing is broken? When a motor cannot be
shimmed, realigned, repaired or otherwise
to solve a vibration problem, users may
analyze the structures of a drivetrain. For
users in those situations, this article will
provide an overview of the most common
mechanical motor application analyses
industry requires, all centering around
resonance issues inherent to the motor or
driven equipment’s design.
All three topics discussed in this article
are issues of mechanical resonance and
are studied through some form of modal
analysis (analyzing a system to obtain its
various natural frequencies). Resonance
is a condition created when a periodic
exciting force interacts with a mechanical
body that has some natural frequency near
an exciting force frequency. Think of the
difference in height your child goes on a
trampoline when you give them regular,
well-timed bounces versus poorly timed
ones. Exciting forces in motor-operated
applications include electromagnetically
34
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
induced harmonics, load-related
mechanical forces or are a result of
mechanical imbalance in the rotor system.
Spring constant is another common phrase
used in these analyses and is meant to
quantify a body’s ability to resist a force
over a unit distance (for example, pound
inch per radian for angular systems or
pounds per inch for linear systems).
Stiffening and damping are phrases
typically used when finding solutions
to vibration problems, with stiffening
indicating some increase in a body’s ability
to resist deflection and damping indicating
some method of absorbing the energy
produced by vibrations. One could think
of stiffening as using thick steel to make
a slinky instead of plastic and damping as
trying to use a slinky under water instead
of in air. Note that a motor can be perfectly
designed and manufactured, show flawless
operation during factory tests and still have
resonance issues in operation. This is often
due to unforeseen excitations interacting
with drivetrain characteristic natural
frequencies that can only be solved through
design changes.
Torsional Analysis
Most common in reciprocating pump
and compressor applications, a torsional
analysis is intended to characterize a
drivetrain’s dynamic responses to the
IMAGE 3: Crank effort curve example
oscillating torques of reciprocating loads.
This analysis is performed in a radial
reference frame, looking down the central
axis of shafts, with an aim to avoid torsional
resonant conditions that lead to excessive
vibration and/or motor current pulsations.
Imagine a slinky being twisted and released
at multiple points and the springlike
responses it would have as it returns to
its original orientation. As this analysis
depends mostly on the reciprocating
equipment’s characteristics, the driven
equipment manufacturer carries out the full
analysis. The analyst will characterize the
equipment’s torque requirements through
a full crankshaft revolution (resulting in a
crank effort curve similar to Image 3) and
then characterize the driven equipment’s
rotating components to determine a
torsional spring constant for the assembly,
which is then modeled with the motor
OEM’s provided motor shaft torsional spring
constant. These spring constants enable the
analyst to characterize the radial location
of lengthwise shaft portions as the shaft
dynamically responds to the oscillating
torques, with shaft step diameter, length
and radii between steps being the main
determinants for how much a shaft twists.
To carry out this study, an analyst needs
complete motor shaft dimensions/material
details, the inertia and weight of the motor
rotor assembly, a calculated torsional
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JUNE 26-28
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● Enjoy fun social/networking
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easa.com/convention
MOTORS & DRIVES
spring constant of the motor shaft, and
expected motor operating speeds. Results
are presented in a report that outlines the
calculated torsional natural frequencies
of the drivetrain at various modes and
the corresponding excitation frequencies
arising from the motor’s speed, the
driven equipment or both. The report will
summarize areas of concern for torsional
resonance and recommends methods
to increase separation margins between
excitations and natural frequencies.
If modifications are needed, an
application will be impacted by either
stiffening the drivetrain components,
damping vibrations with equipment
modifications or moving natural
frequencies through drivetrain inertia
modifications (typically through a flywheel
assembly). A related investigation to
torsional resonance is that of motor
current pulsation, which involves the same
excitation forces as torsional vibrations but
with an aim to characterize the interaction
of the electromagnetic stiffness of a motor
(i.e., a synchronous motor’s synchronizing
power) to the reciprocating torques
imposed on it. Typically, a result of this
study will be to determine a compressor
factor that will limit stator currents to a
maximum of +/- 66% of their rated value
by the addition of inertia in the drivetrain,
again through a flywheel.
Lateral Critical Speed Analysis
An analysis typically reserved for highspeed (usually greater than 1,800 rotations
per minute [rpm]) motors is the lateral
critical speed analysis. Often referred to
as just critical speed analysis, this is a
study similar to a torsional analysis but is
performed axially looking at the bending
(instead of twisting) modes of a drivetrain.
Imagine horizontally holding a slinky
at both ends, then pulling down in the
center and releasing to watch the vertical
springlike response it has as it returns to
its original orientation. The basic goal of
IMAGE 5: Lateral bending of motor rotor
36
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
a critical speed analysis is to determine if
the natural frequencies of a shaft system
(typically the first and sometimes second
modes) land at frequencies close enough
to operating speeds to produce mechanical
resonance. The analysis requires
characterizing the lateral spring constant
of a shaft system to determine deflection
of the motor’s rotor body at various axial
locations due to the weight of the rotor
itself along with forces such as unbalanced
magnetic pull (between motor rotor and
stator) and those resulting from mechanical
imbalance (i.e., residual imbalance).
To carry out this study, the same data
on the motor shaft, rotor assembly and
motor speed range needed for a torsional
analysis is required, except for the torsional
spring constant. For accurate results, values
for unbalanced magnetic pull, residual
imbalance and bearing spring constants
are also required. Results will include
the calculated lateral critical speed(s)
of the rotor system, typically given as
a single rpm value and sometimes as a
speed map, showing separation margins
between operating speed excitations and
the calculated critical speeds. Additionally,
through impact hammer testing (or bump
testing), natural frequency spectrums
for rotor assemblies can be verified.
Application impacts include possible
changes to the shaft dimensions/material
to mechanically stiffen it or change its
mass, as well as modifications to the
stationary motor components such as the
frame or bearing brackets that will dampen
expected vibrations. Finally, certain speed
ranges might be designated as keep-out
zones where operation within 15% to 25%
of a critical speed is not recommended.
Reed Critical Frequency Analysis
A reed critical frequency (RCF) or reed
frequency analysis is meant to characterize
the natural frequency at which a flangemounted motor will oscillate to determine
if resonance issues due to operating speeds
or other excitations might cause excessive
vibration. For this, imagine holding a slinky
vertically from the bottom end, flicking
the top of it and watching its springlike
response as it returns to its resting position.
The most common analysis method
IMAGE 4: Exaggerated flange-mounted
motor deflection
involves calculating the static deflection for
a motor due to its own mass at its center
of gravity in a flange-mounted, horizontal
position. Using this deflection and the
expected mechanical spring constants of
the motor flange and body, an estimated
natural frequency for the motor can be
found using the formula in Equation 1
from The National Electrical Manufacturers
Association (NEMA) MG-1, Part 20.23.
Equation 1
To perform this study, an analyst
requires dimensional and material details
on the motor components to determine
total mass, center of gravity and individual
components’ resistance to deflection.
This data is maintained by the motor
manufacturer as well as calculated values
for a motor’s static deflection, center of
gravity and RCF. According to separation
between operating speed excitations and
the calculated RCF, application impacts
might include stiffening the motor support
structure, moving natural frequencies via
the addition of mass or the damping of
vibrations through elastic flange mounts.
Like a lateral critical speed analysis, the
RCF of a flange-mounted motor can be
verified through impact hammer testing.
With proper analysis, resonant vibration
problems inherent to a drivetrain design
can be resolved.
Blake Bailey is president of designmotors. He may
be reached at blake@designmotors.net or 612-8089913. For more information, visit designmotors.net.
MOTORS & DRIVES
Addressing
Instability
With VFDs
Failing grids can result
in interruptions across
many platforms.
JON MOSTERD | Danfoss Drives
Grid reliability is a growing concern
highlighted by an increasing number of
brownouts and blackouts. Utility grids
and power systems are facing increased
demand while adapting to integration of
smaller, intermittent renewable generation.
In addition, cybersecurity concerns
and increased weather events—such as
hurricanes, fires, and extreme hot or cold
temperatures—are demonstrating the need
to better support infrastructure. In pumps,
fans, compressors and other equipment,
variable frequency drives (VFDs) are helping
deliver solutions. They reduce load, provide
protection and can integrate with storage
and renewables to provide continuous
operation for many critical systems.
Brownouts occur when there is a weak
grid or a fault interruption. This can be
caused by a large load coming online at a
neighboring facility or even a grid failure
nearby as the grid pulses to isolate itself.
For electric motors, this presents concerns
when the incoming line voltage drops
and current demand in the motor goes
up because the process still has the same
power demand. Events like this create risks
for overloading or overheating equipment.
Brownouts can also shut down equipment,
stressing components or creating failures.
Although these events are not usually
long enough to switch onto generator
power, using VFDs that can pull kinetic
energy from the motors to keep them
online longer can reduce the impact.
VFDs can monitor current and prevent
overloading conditions, providing increased
motor protection. Sometimes they are
also set up to trip to prevent pumps
from slowing down below a safe speed
or to isolate themselves. Using onboard
intelligence, they can be programmed
to keep processes running longer or
disconnect quickly when phase losses
occur. Overall, they allow users to more
accurately monitor and define the preferred
response based on application needs and to
better maintain the system condition.
When the grid fails, many systems stop
while they wait for generators to come
online and stop when the grid is restored.
This creates two interruptions in service
that can lead to production waste, system
backup or an interruption in flow that
may require a system flushing to restart.
To mitigate this, facilities have explored
short-term storage or co-generation
infrastructure. Often these require intensive
capital as they are designed to keep
current and future items online instead of
targeting key areas. They may also have an
impact on efficiency by introducing new
mechanical or alternating current (AC) to
direct current (DC) power conversion losses.
The variable frequency and voltage
VFDs produce are generated from the DC
bus within them. Typically, this is created
by the integrated three-phase AC to DC
rectifier or sometimes from another DC
source. Often these units are equipped
with DC termination points, which allow for
ways to bring in DC energy as an additional
power source. This can reduce losses from
multiple AC-DC-AC power conversions when
considering backup power systems such
as a facility-based uninterruptible power
supply (UPS), alternate AC co-generation or
alternate three-phase energy storage.
With DC power in the drive, users can
consider directly linking other DC renewable
or storage sources to avoid losses in the
AC to DC rectifier. These could be solar,
batteries or super or ultra-capacitors. There
has also been increased use of variable
speed wind, pumped hydro, compressed
air or “power to X” (solutions that use
alternative clean fuels) sources that use
VFDs for speed and power management.
They often take the variable threephase generated energy and convert it to
a DC source before pushing it back onto
the AC grid. This and the associated filters
can have a negative impact on efficiency
when compared to taking that DC directly
to a VFD to power another motor. Active
front ends (AFEs) and emerging DC to DC
conversion equipment often found in DC
systems are based on standard insulatedgate bipolar transistor (IGBT) technology.
This allows for access to products, leverages
existing competence and provides flexible
solutions to meet application needs.
There are investments in new forms of
clean energy, storage and new forms of
energy recovery, and there will be more
in existing infrastructure. It is important
to consider ways to reduce energy while
also finding ways to create new energy
sources. This may mean rethinking how
energy is distributed across the system and
managed. One way is to look to flexible DC
grids that can increase system efficiency
and allow for multiple power generation
points and motor controls.
Investments in new ideas are covering
possibilities for future technology but
many solutions have some uncertainties
and potential barriers. DC grids pose risks
related to fault currents or even have
costly installation aspects due to the
low volume of products on the market
today. But as these problems arise, new
solutions are forming in industries. For
instance, new VFD-based technology is
using IGBTs for fast disconnects, clearing
faults in microseconds. This acts as a DC
guard, helping to isolate faults and reduce
concerns for DC bus short circuits. With
increased demand, some DC components
are becoming more available and cost
effective in the marketplace.
How investments and incentives will
impact the energy transition remains
unclear. Yet they are making an impact as
many energy providers are focusing heavily
on new forms of generation. Using VFDs as
intelligent controllers that have flexibility
with AC or DC power inputs will allow users
to adapt to changing scenarios. They will
make it easy to integrate alternate energy
or individual storage at facilities.
Jon Mosterd is the manager for the NAM Center of
Excellence at Danfoss Drives. He may be reached at
jon.apps.nam@danfoss.com. For more information,
visit danfossdrives.com.
PUMPSANDSYSTEMS.COM
37
MOTORS & DRIVES
Factors for Selecting a Low- or
Medium-Voltage Electric Motor
Consider cabling, size and windings in order to make the right choice.
WAYNE PASCHALL | ABB Inc.
Low-voltage motors are often a preferred
choice due to familiarity with products and
available services, as well as the typically
lower cost of individual components.
However, as horsepower (hp) increases,
there can be advantages to moving to a
medium-voltage motor. Low-voltage
motors typically go up to 1,000 hp while
medium-voltage motors can cover
250 hp and higher.
Furthermore, in special variable
frequency drive (VFD) applications, lowvoltage motors can go up to or even over
5,000 hp. This high rating is preferably
above the National Electrical Manufacturers
Association (NEMA) low-voltage limit of
600 volts but still under International
Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) lowvoltage limit of 1,000 volts.
Knowing when to select the right motor
for an application can save users time,
space and money. Here are some areas to
consider when choosing between low- and
medium-voltage electric motors.
Cabling
In low-voltage motors, as the hp range
increases, the size of cabling increases
to handle the increase in amps. With
conductors being a copper component,
this increase in wire gauge can add cost,
especially on longer cabling runs across
a large facility or over a long distance to
a remote pumping station. This increase
in diameter also makes turn radii larger,
which increases the difficulty in making
connections within the terminal boxes.
This can be time-consuming and introduce
additional risk to the maintenance crew
during initial setup of the motor.
A lower current in medium voltage
38
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
IMAGE 1: Motor coupled for a load test or a driven
load (Images courtesy of ABB)
motors allows for smaller cables (leads)
even at higher hp. The use of smaller
gauge leads reduces the cost per foot for
those long-distance connections to remote
pumping stations. Also, during the motor
connection procedures, the small gauge
wires are easier to work with and connect
within the motor terminal box. This can
reduce the maintenance crew’s time in
making the connections and reduce the risk
of damage to the cables.
The cost of copper as a commodity and
the difference in thickness of leads sized
for low-voltage machines versus mediumvoltage machines can be so large that this
can be the primary determining factor in
what voltage service is specified. The higher
cost of medium-voltage equipment can
IMAGE 2: Motor coupled to load test or a driven
load (drive end view)
easily be offset in applications with long
cable runs from distribution.
Size
When space is a consideration, more than
motor size should be reviewed as the choice
between a low- or medium-voltage motor
that has an impact on the components in
the entire system.
Low-voltage drives are smaller than
medium-voltage drives when variable
speed applications play a role in the motor
selection. However, above 1,000 hp this
ratio starts to flip, and drive size may be
comparable or even smaller. Due to lower
amps, medium-voltage motors also enable
the use of smaller supply side switch gear,
supply transformer and controls.
Knowing when to
select the right motor
for an application can
save users time, space
and money.
Windings
To prevent short circuits and preserve the
longevity of medium-voltage windings,
they are commonly produced using a form
wound insulation system. The insulation
system is sealed using a vacuum pressure
impregnated (VPI) system, which fills
the voids in the coils to protect from
contamination. The coils are organized
outside of the stator core to ensure the
ideal spacing of turns, which allows for
air flow around the coils to improve heat
transfer. It is a more labor-intensive process
but is well suited to the rigors of the voltage
impulses of a medium-voltage system.
Additionally, due to the smaller conductors
used in the windings, there is the possibility
of having more turns, so there is greater
flexibility in the electrical design, making
it possible to achieve specific performance
characteristics.
In low-voltage motor windings with
larger diameter conductors, there are more
limitations to the electrical design but less
need for the precisely ordered coils required
to withstand medium voltage. Because of
this, low-voltage machines can use a more
cost-effective random or mush wound
design with a thorough dip-and-bake in
varnish that is often coupled with a vacuum
impregnation of the winding to ensure that
the insulating material fills all voids. The
result is a low-voltage insulation system
that is capable of exceeding industry
standards for longevity while achieving the
performance characteristics necessary for a
broad range of applications.
Like all good questions, whether to
pick a low- or medium-voltage motor for
a pump system does not have an easy
answer. There are several factors to weigh,
including site and installation specifics that
will impact what voltage service is best for
a given project. When selecting a motor
for an application, evaluating these three
factors should provide the best all-around
motor for the facility.
Wayne Paschall is a product market specialist with
ABB Inc., in the large machine and generator division.
For more information, visit abb.com.
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PUMPSANDSYSTEMS.COM
39
MOTORS & DRIVES
The Advantages of Synchronous Motors
What to know about these motors in pumping applications.
TIM ALBERS & KYLE MERTENS | Nidec Motor Corporation
At a time when reducing energy usage is
a priority for end users and government
agencies, synchronous motors are gaining
a foothold in the pumping marketplace due
to their efficiency. Despite many benefits,
not every synchronous motor technology
is the right choice for every pumping
application. This article reviews and
compares various types of synchronous and
induction motors and outlines the factors
to consider when selecting a motor.
Synchronous motors are seeing
worldwide growth. Analysts expect to see
this category grow from 4% to more than
8% of all pumping motors in the next five
years. That number may seem small, but it
is only the beginning of a growing trend.
The popularity of this motor is related
to the technological revolution over the last
10 years that has brought down the price of
processor chips, and in turn, the cost of the
motor/drive system. Thirty years ago, when
synchronous motors were introduced in the
pumping industry, processors to control the
drive were costly and did not have many
features. Now, the processors are a smaller
part of the system and more powerful.
The use of rare earth magnets also
adds to the cost, and magnet prices have
swung wildly depending on the supply
available (most are sourced from China).
Fortunately, many manufacturers are
now offering synchronous motors without
magnets or with magnets not sourced from
rare earth elements, making the motors
more readily available.
What Is a Synchronous Motor?
In a synchronous motor, the rotor turns at
the same speed (in sync) with the stator
rotating magnetic field. Unlike an induction
motor that relies on rotor slip to induce
current into the rotor to generate torque,
in synchronous motors there is no induced
current and subsequent rotor losses.
Reduced losses mean higher efficiency
machines. Benefits include:
• high efficiency
• no rotor losses
• lower bearing temperature
•
•
less frequent bearing maintenance
variable frequency drive (VFD)
performance (especially at
lower speeds)
It is understood that there are energy
consumption advantages by operating
on a variable speed drive and adjusting
operating speed to meet the application’s
demands.
Synchronous-based designs experience
their largest efficiency benefit when
operating with a VFD. In an induction
motor with a VFD, rotor losses account
for a higher proportion of the total losses
when operated at low load, as compared to
operating at full load and speed. As the load
is decreased, users see a comparatively
better performance from synchronous
motors as a result of eliminating these
losses (Image 2).
The flatter efficiency curve means the
realized benefits will exceed the IE4 or IE5
peak efficiency improvement differential.
Considering it is common to spend as
IMAGE 1: Synchronous motor type comparison. 1, 2 and 3 are relative values, with 0 representing the baseline. 1 is better, 2 is better and 3 is best.
Source: Hydraulic Institute (Images courtesy of Nidec Motor Corporation)
40
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
much as 75% of the operating time below
90% of full speed, the impact is significant.
As an example, in heating, ventilation,
and air conditioning (HVAC), at full load,
a synchronous motor integrated with a
VFD will achieve a 3% to 6% increase in
efficiency versus an induction motor at
full speed with a VFD. However, at 25%
power, users are still achieving 44% of
the pump flow but at 8% to 12% higher
efficiency. Thus, at part load operation,
synchronous motors offer more
efficiency improvements.
Synchronous Motor Varieties
Several types of synchronous motors are
now available, and all seem to come with
their own acronym. Here are the most
common terms to know.
Electronically commutated motor (ECM)
When discussing pumping applications,
ECM refers to a motor with integrated drives
and controls. ECMs are commonly used in
HVAC systems.
IMAGE 2: Synchronous versus induction efficiency performance
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PUMPSANDSYSTEMS.COM
41
MOTORS & DRIVES
Brushless with permanent magnets (BPM)
These can be referred to as permanent
magnet alternating current (PMAC) or
brushless direct current (BLDC). Permanent
magnets are surface mounted or interior
mounted. The latter uses only rare earth
metals, whereas the former could use
ferrite-based or rare earth magnets. Lower
mechanical strength and limited speed
capability are downsides of a surfacemounted PM. An advantage is its ability to
vary speed easily.
Multiple technologies
of synchronous motors
are available, each
with advantages and
disadvantages.
With standard induction motors, it can
be difficult and cost-prohibitive to exceed
IE3 (NEMA premium) to reach the desirable
IE4 or IE5 efficiency levels, particularly
for smaller power ratings less than 75
kilowatts (kW). Synchronous motors, on
the other hand, bring energy efficiency
improvements to the industry, and the
latest and most high-efficiency motors and
variable speed drives are readily available in
the marketplace.
Pumping Applications
Hybrid synchronous reluctance motor
(HSM) with PM assist
HSMs use lower-strength magnets that
saturate the rotor and improve the power
factor. The share of reluctance torque is
significant compared to PMAC.
Synchronous reluctance motor (SynRM)
SynRM works on the concept of “magnetic
reluctance” but does not require magnets to
induce a magnetic field. The rotor consists
of steel laminations cut to act as magnetic
poles. The rugged design generally
demands more current to the VFD and has a
lower power factor compared to PM designs.
Synchronous reluctance motor with
aluminum cage (SynRA)
SynRA offers the incremental advantage
of running on a standard volts/hertz (Hz)
VFD and can be a drop-in replacement to a
current induction motor application.
Switched reluctance motor (SRM)
SRM predates both DC and AC induction
motors. Control issues make it unsuitable
for many applications. It has a simple
design but a complicated electrical
setup. Dedicated position sensors and
timing mechanisms are required to control
most applications.
Choosing a synchronous motor also
means choosing a VFD, and different
synchronous technologies have VFD
choice implications. So, it is important to
understand from the manufacturer the
different expected outcomes.
When determining whether to go with
induction or synchronous technology, take
a top-level view. This “system-conscious”
decision requires looking overall at the goals
42
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
of the system. If the motor speed must run
at 100% consistently, an induction motor is
a good choice.
A potential drawback to synchronous
motors as compared to induction motors is
that in applications with unstable pumping
loads, shuddering can occur, eventually
causing the motor to trip. To prevent this
issue, the synchronous motor and drive
system should be designed to include a
resistor to the VFD.
When it comes to thermal performance,
the synchronous machine will have a
comparatively far cooler rotor than an
induction. This is due to improved power
density and the ability to build a given
rating in a smaller package, with less active
electrical material, while also delivering
higher efficiency performance.
The reduced rotor temperature also has
a maintenance and reliability benefit. Since
less heat is transferred to the bearings, and
a temperature decrease of only 50 F (10 C)
will double the grease life, users can expect
the synchronous machine to be more
reliable than an induction.
DOE Standards
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is
interested in synchronous motor technology
and looking at setting test standards for
them. The current pump energy index
(PEI) shows no difference in efficiency for
synchronous versus induction motors, but
DOE, with input from the Hydraulic Institute
(HI), has proposed to create coefficients
to demonstrate the difference between
synchronous and induction machines.
This will allow end users to easily compare
what pump suppliers are saying about their
motor and drive efficiency.
Today, synchronous technology is making
a splash in pool pumps, taking a significant
share of the industry. Legislation is
driving manufacturers to become more
comprehensive in their energy-efficient
offerings. In particular, meeting the
California efficiency levels now requires
the use of synchronous technology in pool
and spa pumps, causing manufacturers to
standardize synchronous technology across
the board.
For circulator pumps (used in
residential and commercial HVAC
systems), synchronous motors are
prevalent. The DOE is working on a
ruling now that could require the use of
synchronous motors to meet the required
levels of efficiency and take advantage of
the lower partial load losses.
Variable speed induction motors
are common in commercial pumping
applications, but the next evolution
for increases in efficiency could be
synchronous motor-driven systems.
Synchronous motors are growing in
use in the pump industry, a trend that
could accelerate as energy savings and
a regulatory push puts pressure on end
users. Multiple technologies of synchronous
motors are available, each with advantages
and disadvantages. It is critical to fully
evaluate the various offerings and
choose the technology that best fits the
application.
Tim Albers is director of product management at
Nidec Motor Corporation.
Kyle Mertens is product manager at Nidec Motor
Corporation. For more information, visit nidec.com.
MOTORS & DRIVES
Using ESA to Identify
Vibration Problems
Although still in its infancy, electrical signature analysis
can offer long-term benefits to users.
WILLIAM KRUGER | All-Test Pro
Machinery vibration analysis is a
commonly used technique to locate and
identify problems in centrifugal pumps.
Problems such as cavitation, restricted
discharge, balance, bearing and alignment
condition and a handful of other issues
are well-recognized faults analyzed using
vibration signature analysis. Machinery
vibration is nothing more than repetitive
movement of a part around a midpoint
or point of rest. This motion is measured
by placing a vibration sensor mounted on
respective motor and pump bearings to
convert this motion into an electrical
signal that represents amount and
frequency of motion of the bearing at
the location and direction the sensor is
mounted. These electrical signals then
undergo a fast Fourier transform (FFT)
to find amplitude and frequencies of the
forces that create this unwanted, and
usually destructive, motion.
Fault frequency charts have been
developed to determine the source of
force, and amplitude of the motion
determines the amount of the force. As
successful as this technology has been,
it faces some limitations and obstacles.
Among those are Newton’s 2nd law, (force
= mass X acceleration). This means that as
the applied force increases, the motion
(acceleration) will increase, or if the force
is constant and the mass is increased, the
vibration will decrease. This means that on
larger machines, more mass requires more
force or a more advanced fault to create a
given vibration. So, on larger machines, by
the time a fault is large enough to create
measurable motion, the fault is advanced.
Additionally, vibration sensors are
directional and only measure motion in the
direction and plane of sensor orientation.
This means that a fault that is directly
under the transducer may be missed. This
is a common problem with vertical pumps
or other hard-to-access locations.
Motor Current
In limited access situations, current
clamps have been used as the transducer
to measure these same forces. The same
forces that cause the machine’s casing
to vibrate also cause the motor’s load to
increase and decrease, which causes the
motor’s current to modulate at the same
frequencies. For example, if an unbalance
force causes the motor bearing to vibrate
at one times rotor speed, it will also
cause the motor current to “modulate” at
the same one times running speed. The
Problems Identified
by Using ESA:
Power Quality
• power factor
• voltage and current unbalance
• motor load and efficiency
• voltage and current
harmonic content
• torque fluctuations
• motor stator
• air gaps
• winding/core looseness
• insulation breakdown
• groundwall/winding
• rolling element bearing
condition
Motor Rotor
• unbalance
• misalignment
• eccentric rotor
• loose/broken rotor bars
• casting voids
• thermally sensitive rotors
Pumps
• unbalance
• misalignment
• recirculation
• restricted discharge
• cavitation/flow disturbances
electrical output of the current clamps then
undergoes FFT to determine the amplitude
and frequency of these forces. Any other
repetitive periodic forces that create the
unwanted and destructive motion at the
bearings also cause the motor current to
modulate at the same frequencies as the
motion. Forces that randomly occur such
as cavitation will create a broadband
spectral response—the same as in a
vibration spectrum.
When inputting the electrical signals
from the output of the current clamps into
IMAGE 1: Motor current spectrum vertical pump (Images courtesy of All-Test Pro)
PUMPSANDSYSTEMS.COM
43
MOTORS & DRIVES
an FFT, it is possible to find the amplitude
and frequencies of these forces and
they will be the same as the frequencies
presented in the standard vibration charts.
This technique is referred to as motor
current signature analysis (MCSA).
Some users incorrectly presume that
MCSA can only be used to identify faults
in the motor itself. However, since all
power to the motor system comes through
the motor, the motor current makes a
transducer to identify any cyclic forces
and random forces that are applied to the
bearings or other parts of the pump system
that create the vibration.
In addition to electrical and mechanical
faults in the motor, any periodic or random
occurring forces in the pump/motor system
will create modulations of the motor
current and can be identified from the
motor currents.
This allows the motor current to become
a powerful tool when troubleshooting
mechanical, electrical and even hydraulic
problems in a pumping system being
driven by electric motors. In addition
to identifying all of the problems that
machinery vibration detects, MCSA is not
restricted by sensor location, direction or
frequency response.
EPRI Study Vertical Pumps
An Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
report in the mid-1980s showed that faults
located in the subsurface section of
vertical pumps are undetectable using
vibration sensors mounted on the motor
bearings located above the surface.
However, these faults are easily detectable
using the motor current as the transducer.
Faults such as resonant whirl, looseness,
restricted discharge and cavitation can be
easily identified in the current signature.
Even common faults such as unbalance of
the pump rotor dangling from the motor
shaft fail to cause the motor to shake
until all the pump interstage bearings or
bushings are destroyed.
Image 1 is the motor current from one of
the two vertical cooling water pumps that
were exhibiting poor performance under
certain conditions. Two other identical
pumps did not exhibit performance issues.
Several diagnostic tests were conducted
including vibration, pressure, flow and
electrical signature analysis (ESA).
On the two pumps that were exhibiting
performance issues, both displayed this
flow turbulence under certain pump
configurations and water levels in the lake
supplying the water. It was surprising to
the maintenance team that ESA was
the only technology that exhibited this
condition. Using this information, the
plant was able to determine proper pump
combinations that would prevent these
conditions from occurring.
ESA vs. MCSA
The above benefits of using the motor
current as a transducer can be readily seen
for early fault detection of mechanical,
electrical and hydraulic faults and analysis
as well as identifying faults in inaccessible
locations on pump systems driven by
Check 106 on index.
44
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
IMAGE 2: Current spectrum
induction motors. ESA differs considerably
from MCSA, which is simply an FFT on one
or more phases of the motor’s incoming
current. The disturbances that are displayed
in the motor’s current spectrum can be
caused by any periodic loading applied to
the motor bearings.
Forces caused by unbalance,
misalignment or any other anomalies in
the rotating portion of the pump system
will cause the motor’s current to modulate
at specific frequencies of the periodic
force based on rotor speed, pump and
system design. This could also be caused
IMAGE 3: Voltage spectrum
by harmonics or other disturbances in the
supply voltage directly from the utility
or any electrical disturbances created in
the plant’s internal electrical distribution
system. Disturbances from the pump’s flow
or other hydraulic forces within the process
can also contribute to the current spectrum.
This makes it seem difficult to interpret and
analyze the FFTs. In the current spectrum
(Image 2), there are several spectral peaks,
some of which exceed -60 decibels (dB).
This indicates that the disturbance creating
the spectral peak is greater than 1/1000th
of the motor’s current.
However, by comparing the current
spectrum with the spectrum of the
incoming voltage, it becomes apparent
that most of these peaks are the result of
disturbances of the incoming voltage and
are not related to the condition of the motor,
driven machine or the process. This allows
the analyst to focus only on the faults that
are related to the condition of the motor
system and eliminate any disturbances that
are caused by the incoming power. It is also
important to note that some of the spectral
peaks (peaks under purple arrows) in the
voltage spectrum are not present in the
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45
MOTORS & DRIVES
current spectrum. This means they are
being caused by faults in the motor, pump
or the process.
Power Quality
IMAGE 4: Power quality table
current spectrum. This is because the stator
windings act as current filters and can filter
out some of the disturbances contained in
the incoming voltage. In Images 2 and 3,
note that the peaks under the red arrows
are present in both the voltage and current
spectrum, which means the peaks under
the green arrows are present only in the
In addition to performing an FFT on the
motor current and voltage, ESA also
performs a simultaneous data capture on
all three phases of voltage and current to
create a power quality (PQ) table. It also
captures a snapshot of the voltage and
current time waveforms.
The PQ table displays all the key
variables necessary to evaluate the
condition of the incoming power, motor
load and efficiency. This provides a more
accurate and complete depiction of the
motor’s electrical condition, as well as the
quality of incoming power.
ESA also can accurately calculate the
actual motor speed at the time of the
motor test. Since ESA performs a
simultaneous data capture of all three
phases of voltage and current, it is a simple
mathematical calculation to accurately
determine running speed of the collected
test data set. This greatly improves the
accuracy of FFT analysis.
The use of ESA is increasing on pumps
driven by electric motors due to its ability
to evaluate the entire pump system,
incoming power and process quickly in
a one-minute test. Just as with other
diagnostic technologies, the horizon,
knowledge base and capabilities of ESA are
in the early stages, so more benefits and
additional uses of this technology are also
in their infancy.
Get More Info
For more motors content,
visit pumpsandsystems.
com/tags/motors.
William Kruger joined ALL-TEST Pro as the
technical manager in 2004. He may be reached at
wkruger@alltestpro.com. For more information, visit
alltestpro.com.
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46
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
MOTORS & DRIVES
Top Challenges &
Considerations for
Retrofitting a Motor
Users have several needs and goals in order
to upgrade the pump system.
ANTHONY LOU | Infinitum Electric
There are several reasons to retrofit
the motor in a pump system but the
most common reason is to upgrade the
system. In this scenario, users will need
to select a different motor model or even
manufacturer to meet retrofit goals. This is
the best solution if goals include:
• improving the performance of the motor,
such as making it faster, increasing the
horsepower or improving torque
• reducing the energy consumption of
the motor
• allowing for different operating speeds
by switching from a single-speed
motor to variable speed
• improving overall reliability of
the system
1
Sufficient Operational
Requirements
The most critical consideration when
retrofitting the motor in a pump
system is selecting a motor that meets
the operational requirements for the
application. This is dependent on more
than just the specifications of the original
motor. If replacing an existing motor, the
retrofitted motor must also fit within the
optimal performance range of the pump
that it powers.
2
Ease of
Installation
A motor that can be installed quickly and
easily can help to minimize the amount
of downtime required for a retrofit and
Selecting a new motor to retrofit for a pump
motor can be overwhelming—there are
many factors to consider when making a
decision. Below are the top challenges of
retrofitting the motor in a pump system, as
well as several considerations for selection.
Operational Downtime
The challenge with the greatest potential
impact on operations is downtime, as the
pump system will be offline throughout
the entire retrofit process. With proactive
planning, users can minimize the impact
this has on operations. For example, when
retrofitting multiple motors in multiple
independent pump systems, users can
stagger the retrofit schedule. Another
ultimately minimize the impact of the
retrofit on the operations.
3
Size & Weight
The size of the motor is also a
critical consideration. Users need to
ensure that the motor they have selected
has a footprint and weight that can fit
within and be supported by the current
installation setup.
4
Problem-Solving
Lastly, consider whether the motor
selected for the retrofit addresses any
other pain points that users experience
with the current pump system. Is the
current setup noisy under normal
operating conditions? Consider identifying
way to minimize the downtime caused by
the retrofit is to plan the retrofit during
a time when the production schedule is
typically light, such as during a third shift
or a weekend or holiday. Lastly, users can
minimize downtime by selecting a motor
that can be easily and quickly installed.
Shaft Misalignment
Ensuring proper mounting and shaft
alignment with the pump in the system is
another potential challenge in the retrofit
process. Having proper shaft alignment
is essential to ensuring the motor is
efficiently transferring power to the pump.
Misalignment can cause several issues that
range from annoying to potentially harmful
to the system or personnel, including high
levels of acoustic noise, excessive vibration
and increased temperatures.
A common consequence of these issues
is one of the biggest sources of motor
failure: bearing failure. Some ways to
mitigate challenges associated with shaft
misalignment include ensuring proper
mounting and shaft alignment upon
installation; checking alignment after a
few months of operation and annually
thereafter; and regularly monitoring
potential indicators of misalignment, such
as vibration levels.
When selecting a motor for a retrofit,
consider the factors below.
a quieter motor. Is the current motor a
pain to maintain? Does an OEM specialist
have to be called for any maintenance
tasks? Make it a goal to find a motor that
the local repair shop can maintain without
requiring extensive training.
Retrofitting a motor for a pump system
offers many advantages, but make sure
to assess the challenges of potential
downtime and shaft misalignment. Before
selecting a motor, consider the operational
requirements, installation, size and weight,
and problems solved. Doing so will help
ensure the retrofit is a success.
Anthony Lou is senior business development
manager at Infinitum Electric. He may be reached
at anthony@infinitumelectric.com. For more
information, visit infinitumelectric.com.
PUMPSANDSYSTEMS.COM
47
MOTORS & DRIVES
Motor & Variable Speed
Controller Technology
A brief history of the electric motor.
PETER WOLFF | Armstrong Fluid Technology
Over the last 150 years, development of
the electric motor has gone in fits and
starts. Initially, all electric motors used
direct current (DC). But with the advent
of alternating current (AC) and amid the
“battle of the currents” between industrial
development giants George Westinghouse
and Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla unveiled
his induction motor, a new design that
converted the power of alternating
electrical current into rotational torque.
It was a game changer. As well as
helping Westinghouse win the battle of the
currents, it was relatively easy to make,
efficient and, crucially, needed no slip rings
or brushes to transmit electrical current
to the shaft. These parts were the Achilles’
heel of the DC and slip-ring type AC motor,
requiring regular maintenance to replace
them as they wore out.
Instead, eddy currents and their
associated magnetic field were induced
in a stack of steel laminations attached to
the shaft by the new layout of distributed
winding embedded in the stator using the
rotating magnetic field the alternating
current created. The magnetic field of
the stator interacted with the induced
magnetic field of the rotor, turning it at
nearly, but not quite, the same speed. The
asynchronous AC motor was created. The
combination of high starting torque and
low maintenance saw it quickly adopted
for applications that were previously the
realm of steam, water, belts/pulleys and
horsepower. The reluctance motor, using
magnets embedded in the rotor, was
also invented in the 19th century. It was
handicapped by low efficiency when driven
directly from the AC supply. This would
change at the end of the 20th century.
48
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
The 1970s & 1980s
Fast forward almost a century and
the induction motor, universal in its
applications on pumps, fans, blowers,
machine tools, mixers and other
applications, was taken for granted.
Manufacturers had refined production
methods to reduce costs, sometimes at the
expense of efficiency. Its only continuous
failing was that it ran at the speed
determined by the number of magnetic
poles in the winding and the frequency of
AC supply. That speed was not to be altered,
other than by creating a complex stator
winding with two and four or four and six
poles embedded in it.
Some plant users overcame this
challenge by using eddy current and fluid
couplings mounted between the motor
and driven machine to adjust the output
speed down and up to suit the immediate
requirement. However, these couplings
were expensive and bulky. On pumps,
they added size, complexity and extra
maintenance. Belts and pulleys of different
diameters could be used to permanently
deliver a different pump speed—higher
or lower than the motor speed—to suit a
continuous application.
Variable Speed Drives
The invention and mass manufacturing
of electronic variable speed drives (VSDs)
began in the 1960s and 1970s. Industrial
pioneers developed several methods to
convert the mains electrical supply at its
constant frequency (50 or 60 hertz [Hz],
depending on geography) to a variable
frequency on the output, resulting in a
variable speed induction motor driving
the pump or fan. With a suitable control
system, plant speed could be adjusted to
suit a variable load.
The first generation of VFDs was
expensive, large and unreliable. They would
regularly trip themselves out to self-protect.
Operators responded by often demanding
that a bypass system of the VFD to the
motor be engineered in case of failure. This
made them even more costly, bulky and
complicated. Thirty years later, VFDs were
smaller, affordable and reliable. The size
reduction allowed them to be decentralized
and mounted locally.
OEMs of pumps took a step further
in the 1990s and integrated them into
their products and, in the years since,
have added self-adjusting smart speed
controllers and web connectivity. This
simplifies the design and install of hydronic
systems while also delivering more
reliable outcomes. The pump controllers’
capabilities often include accurate
measurement of flow rate and pump
generated head—information that can
help to deliver higher process efficiency.
A benefit of these improvements has also
been the removal of bypasses, rendered
redundant just as the starting handle
became for cars and automobiles after
electric self-starters were introduced.
Potential side effects of VFDs, such as
harmonic disturbance to the power supply
network and electric currents generated
within the induction motors traveling
through their shaft bearings, are still
not fully understood in many industries,
leading to some over-engineering and
waste of materials and money.
Motors From the 1980s Onward
The move to more efficient motors started
in the 1980s. Using more active materials
and tighter manufacturing tolerances,
their higher efficiency products created a
new market and drove regulators to create
standards that differentiated the new
from the old. Today’s National Electrical
Manufacturers Association (NEMA) and
International Efficiency (IE) ratings are the
results of that initiative. But improvements
beyond IE3 and NEMA Premium required
motor technology that would not need
the induction of currents in the rotor to
create the rotor’s magnetic field. The era
of the permanent magnet motor was on
the horizon. The question was: in which
direction would it go?
Permanent magnet motors—
surface mount and interior mount
In motor rotors fitted with permanent
magnets, the stator winding no longer has
to expend power inducing magnetism in it.
But how are the magnets best configured
in or on the rotor? As their names imply,
surface permanent magnet (SPM) motors
have magnets on the surface of the rotor
and interior permanent magnet (IPM)
motors have them embedded inside the
rotor, shaped to suit the drive application.
SPM motors deliver good starting torque,
but the arrangement of the magnets
generates back EMF in the stator at speed,
reducing efficiency. SPM motors are speedlimited due to the mechanical limitation of
the attachment of the magnets to the shaft.
However, this does not apply at the low
speed of centrifugal pumps compared with
those required for automotive applications.
An IPM motor, embedded in the rotor,
allows the shape of the magnets to be
optimally configured so the lines of
magnetic flux reduce the back EMF at high
speeds. Also, no mechanical speed limits
apply as they do to SPM.
downside is it also has high torque ripple
and produces more noise and vibration.
Reluctance motors—
synchronous reluctance
A reluctance motor has specially shaped
empty slots in the rotor. If the stator field is
correctly aligned to the slots, the rotor will
rotate in a low reluctance state, producing
reluctance torque. This motor type is low
cost, robust, generates high torque and is
tolerant of supply faults and overload. The
downside is that it has high torque ripple:
a fluctuation in torque generated as the
magnets react with the stator windings at
certain angles during rotation.
The SYN RM IPM motor
Placing PM in the slots in the synchronous
reluctance motor produces the IPM Syn
RM motor. It does not generate back EMF
when, at speed, the rotor is aligned to the
stator field at one angle and at startup,
another angle that generates high torque.
One other benefit is that the motor shaft
runs cool, improving bearing life. The SYN
RM IPM motor uses both reluctance torque
and magnetic torque, managing their
complementary properties to give high
torque at startup with high efficiency and
smooth operation at speed. In addition, the
power factor is improved. Also, this type
requires less magnetic material than a
conventional IPM motor.
Reluctance motors—switched reluctance
This motor type is low in cost, efficient,
robust, generates high torque and is
tolerant of supply faults and overload. The
Peter Wolff is a regional sales enablement specialist
at Armstrong. He holds a degree in engineering and
applied sciences from Sussex University. For more
information, visit armstrongfluidtechnology.com.
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49
MOTORS & DRIVES
Sustainable Pump Motors:
Green Is Good Business
Understand three considerations for evaluating your next efficient motor.
NICK DESILVIO | ePropelled
When thinking about pumps used in
industry, the focus tends to be on the
materials they move, ranging from water
and wastewater, chemicals, oil, petroleum,
sludges and slurries, all the way to food.
There is also a focus on their costs,
efficiency and maintenance. Environmental
impact tends to be much lower on the list
of considerations, but greener and more
efficient pumps are also good for business.
Every pump has a motor; so it is not
surprising that pumps are responsible for
21% of all industrial sector motor system
electricity consumption. Lowering this
number can make pumps greener and
reduce operational costs.
The Energy Problem
The energy problem is not limited to
pumps. Everyone is using increasing
amounts of energy. Industries are growing,
the population is rising and the pumps
industry needs to keep up with the demand
for water, electricity, products and services.
The United States Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) statistics show that over half
of the electricity used in manufacturing is
used to power motors, and the U.S. industry
is responsible for almost 25% of the
country’s greenhouse emissions.
The trend plays out globally, too.
According to the International Energy
Agency (IEA), electric motors and systems
account for over 40% of global electricity
consumption. The use of electric motors
and systems is expected to keep growing.
This will increase the number of harmful
emissions released.
Regulatory Focus
Motors are getting more attention
from regulators, and as a result, pump
manufacturers will be affected. The
European Union’s new Ecodesign
Regulation 2019/1781 went into effect
on July 1, 2021, for low-voltage induction
motors and variable speed drives (VSD) and
requires a wide range of electric motors to
meet the IE3 premium efficiency standard.
The regulatory change raises mandatory
minimum efficiency levels, expands the
range of motors covered and, for the first
time, includes VSDs.
Effective July 1, 2023, it mandates
higher efficiency standards for some motor
categories, raising the base level for certain
motors to IE4 super-premium efficiency.
Outside the EU, post-Brexit United Kingdom
(U.K.) will adopt the same regulation and
some other countries are likely to follow
these principles. The energy efficiency level
is expressed in IE efficiency classes, from
IE1 (lowest) to IE5 (highest). Under the
current regulation, motors must reach the
IE2, IE3 or IE4 efficiency level depending on
their rated power and other characteristics.
For instance, three-phase motors with
a rated output between 0.75 kilowatts
(kW) and equal to or below 1,000 kW were
required to reach the IE3 level by July 2021.
Motors between 75 kW and 200 kW must
meet the IE4 level by July 2023.
In the U.S., the Department of Energy
(DOE) recently issued a prepublication
Federal Register notice undertaking a
review for amended energy conservation
standards for small electric motors. This is
to determine whether to amend applicable
energy conservation standards for such
equipment. And do not forget the new rule
changes proposed by the Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC) that would
require climate-related information in
registration statements and annual
reports provided by investors, including
(per SEC website):
• “the registrant’s governance of
climate-related risks and relevant risk
management processes
• how any climate-related risks identified
by the registrant have had or are
likely to have a material impact on its
business and consolidated financial
statements, which may manifest over
the short-, medium- or long-term
• how any identified climate-related
Motors are getting more attention from regulators
and, as a result, pump manufacturers will be affected.
50
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
risks have affected or are likely to affect
the registrant’s strategy, business
model and outlook”
Disclosure of a registrant’s greenhouse
gas emissions would also be required, which
will put pressure on suppliers—including
pump manufacturers—to reduce their
contribution to this global problem.
The main message is this: companies
need to be prepared to address their
environmental impact. The environment is
not the first thing businesses think about
when choosing pump motors, but there are
benefits to going green, including:
• Pump manufacturers that can meet
the regulatory mandates will have a
competitive advantage in the market.
• Greener motors have tangible benefits
to users.
• Savings from lower electric bills are
important. Electricity costs for industrial
use rose almost 6% from a national
average of 6.9 cents per kWh in January
2021 to 7.3 cents in January 2022.
IMAGE 1: Fan or pump efficiency (Source: inverterdrivesystems.com)
So, it is worth considering that new,
more environmentally friendly and more
efficient systems that use energy in a
smarter way would decrease costs and
harmful emissions, killing two birds with
one stone.
Competitive & Green
Electric industrial pump motors
themselves, due to the number of them in
use, could singlehandedly make a huge
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This might sound like a pipe dream but
increasingly more is expected from motors.
Higher IEC standards are already out there.
According to Omdia, 75% of industrial
motors run pumps, fans and compressors,
all of which have significant opportunities
for efficiency improvements. For example,
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51
MOTORS & DRIVES
a variable speed drive (VSD) can typically
reduce power consumption by 25% when
added to the existing motor of a pump, fan
or compressor. However, less than a quarter
of the world’s pump motors are currently
equipped with a VSD.
Take the example of water handling
alone. Pumping can consume up to 85% of
the energy used in water handling. A 2021
paper by ABB estimated that improved
systems with VSDs and high efficiency
motors could result in energy savings of
25% to 30%. And although this estimate
regarded the water and wastewater
industry, there is no reason to believe
that what applies to one pump motor will
not apply to another situation simply
because they are used in different locations
and businesses.
All About Efficiency
To get the best level of efficiency and
associated energy savings, there are three
key considerations to remember when
evaluating motors. First, the industry
cannot meet its goals by relying on old
technology. For example, induction motors
are typically 75% efficient at best. Their
efficiency can be improved by pairing
them with a VSD, but this is really a partial
solution best left to situations where
retrofit is the only option. The best results
could come from synchronous permanent
magnet motors (PMM), which can achieve
efficiencies of over 90%.
Second, the motor should be paired with
a well-matched VSD. Note that the system
efficiency is calculated by multiplying the
motor efficiency level by the efficiency
rating of the drive. For example, if a motor
that is 90% efficient is paired with a drive
that is 90% efficient, the system will only
be 81% efficient. System performance is
what counts when it comes to the amount
of energy used and systems that are over
90% efficient are achievable. It should be
noted that VSDs operate over a range of
speeds. This has two benefits.
First, one motor system can address
several speed ranges, reducing the need
for a more varied product line. Second,
the relationship between the speed and
power of a pump needs to be considered
as it follows a cubic power curve. The flow
is proportional to the speed. If the system
runs 10% slower, it provides 90% flow.
Also, the torque is proportional to the
speed squared and the power is proportional
to the speed cubed. As a result, slowing
the pump by 10% reduces the power
used to 73% of full power. Assuming this
is appropriate for the application, it can
provide even more savings.
Finally, it is not complicated to dive into
the design itself and check if the motor
uses fewer materials or if it uses them more
effectively. New designs and better use of
materials available are not a pipe dream
for the pump industry. Smaller but scalable
designs are possible.
A well-designed system can use
less material, resulting in motors and
drives that are smaller, lighter and cost
effective. By taking a systems approach
in motor evaluation, pump manufacturers
can optimize their products to meet
the end users’ goals and the regulatory
requirements.
Consumers’ green preferences are not
always enough to affect purchasing or
manufacturing decisions. So, the fact that
improved efficiency pump motors will use
less electricity and save on operating costs
is something to consider.
Sustainability and efficiency are
words that are thrown around a lot.
Electric pump motors that are more
energy efficient are suitable for industrial
applications and they could affect the
natural environment less. Finding options
that are scalable, more efficient, and easier
for consumers to operate is the way to
make the industry greener, more
sustainable and more viable, all at the
same time.
Nick Desilvio is the head of the sustainability
motor division at ePropelled. For more information,
visit epropelled.com.
Check 125 on index.
52
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
MOTORS & DRIVES
What Is Surge Comparison Testing?
This test can find cases of weak insulation before the motor progresses to complete failure.
DAVID STEWART | Electrom Instruments
The surge comparison test is an essential
test for motor maintenance and reliability
professionals in the pumps and controls
industry. Most maintenance programs
are already using digital multimeters and
megohmmeters. They conduct low and
medium voltage tests such as the megohm
test (sometimes called a megger test),
winding resistance and others. This article
goes into depth explaining what a surge
test is and how it can find faults these other
tests cannot.
What Motor Problems Can
a Surge Test Find?
• phase-to-phase weaknesses and shorts (1)
• turn-to-turn weaknesses and shorts (2)
• coil-to-coil weaknesses and shorts (3)
Not pictured in Image 1:
• wrong turn count
• wrong coil connections internally
• weaknesses to ground (in some cases only and not as well as a hipot test)
Why Is the Surge Test Important?
The surge test is the only test that finds
turn-to-turn insulation weaknesses in
motor windings. These weaknesses cannot
be found with insulation resistance/
megohm, low-voltage measurements or
high-voltage high-potential (hipot) tests.
The surge test stresses the motor-winding’s
turn-to-turn insulation at a voltage above
operating voltage so that both weaknesses
and hard shorts can be found.
Surge test results are valuable data for
predictive maintenance professionals. Pass/
fail determinations are easy to make in
most cases so data-driven decisions can
be clearly defined for the type of motors
in use. If weaknesses are found above
operating voltage, in most cases the motor
can continue to run while remedial actions
are scheduled.
Typical Motor Failure Progression
A motor can progress to failure in many
ways. A typical progression starts as
turn-to-turn insulation weakness in the
windings. Most winding failures, including
shorts to ground, start with weak turn-toturn insulation.
Partial discharges (PD) are the first
evidence of weakness that can be detected
IMAGE 1: Each motor phase is highlighted with a different color winding. The surge test can find
phase-to-phase (1), turn-to-turn (2), coil-to-coil (3) weaknesses and shorts. (Images courtesy of
Electrom Instruments)
in the windings. The presence of PD may
not indicate a problem in medium- and
high-voltage motors but is a problem in
low voltage motors. See a previous article
on PD testing from the March 2022 issue of
Pumps & Systems.
If insulation continues to weaken, a
surge test is the best test for detecting
weakness early. A failure above peak
operating voltage is a precursor to complete
motor failure. The motor can continue to
run for a while leaving time to plan a course
of action.
Once the weakness causes turn-toturn arcs, heat creates a hot spot. The
hot spot causes more turns to short out
and subsequently more heat is created.
Eventually the winding shorts to ground.
How Does the Surge Test Work?
A high rise-time pulse is repeatedly sent
through the winding by circuitry in the
test instrument. The result is a decaying
oscillating wave for each pulse, displayed
on a screen by an oscilloscope circuit. The
number of oscillations of the wave depends
on the Q factor of the motor (impedance
components)—how much the surge wave
is dampened by the motor winding circuit.
The rotor and the construction of the motor
PUMPSANDSYSTEMS.COM
53
MOTORS & DRIVES
PLUG
& PLAY
your Motors
and Pumps
IMAGE 2: A winding with fewer turns will produce a higher frequency waveform (A) than a winding with
more turns (B). An assembled motor will typically have a lower wave frequency and be more dampened
than the motor stator alone.
IMAGE 3: If the motor loses a turn because of an arc or short, the frequency of the waveform increases
causing it to appear to shift left. In this failed pulse-to-pulse test, the blue wave is from the pulse before
the arc and the red wave from the pulse that arced.
U
v
B
f
•
C
•
•
S
E
fy
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determine the level of dampening. The
frequency of the waveform is inversely
proportional to the number of turns.
Therefore, a winding with fewer turns will
produce a higher frequency wave and vice
versa, with everything else being equal.
The surge tester increases the voltage
of each pulse and compares the resulting
surge waves by calculating a percent
wave difference. If the motor loses a turn
because of an arc or short, the frequency
of the waveform increases. On the test
screen, this appears as if the wave
suddenly shifts to the left. When this
happens, the difference between waves
increases. The difference is calculated by
the tester as a percentage.
Surge waves are compared in two
ways: phase-to-phase and pulse-to-pulse.
A phase-to-phase comparison in a threephase motor compares phase 1 to 2, then
2 to 3 and then 3 to 1. In a pulse-to-pulse
comparison, each phase is tested against
itself. As the surge voltage is gradually
increased, the surge tester compares
each new waveform to the previous one.
How Are Results Calculated?
The general approach is to calculate the
54
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
difference between many points along
a wave pair (y-axis points on the two
waves with the same x-axis position),
add up all the y-axis differences and
divide by an average. If the difference is
above the operator’s pass/fail threshold,
the surge test is considered failed. Keep
in mind that the tester does not fail the
motor, it only fails the test. The operator
determines what action to take as a result
since it may be possible that the motor
can continue to run.
The Surge Test Is Not Destructive
The surge test is not destructive because
the energy in each surge pulse is low
and the duration of the over-voltage is
short. A good analogy is a static electric
discharge arcing from your finger to a
doorknob. You may be able to feel it but
there is no burn mark or damage.
Motors are designed to handle
voltages far above normal surge
test voltages. For example, it is not
uncommon to see 460-volt (V) motors
arc around 10,000 V. Even old motors
have been seen to arc around 8,000
V. Compare that to normal surge test
voltage for 460 V motors of around
Surge testing is
important for
predictive maintenance
professionals because it
can find weak insulation
before the motor fails.
2,000 V. Furthermore, motors and coils in
laboratory settings have been surge tested
many times with no discernable change in
the insulation properties.
For old and brittle insulation, carbon
tracking in cracks in the insulation will lower
the insulation’s ability to withstand certain
voltages. Maintenance professionals should
consider reducing the surge test voltage for
such motors. The bottom line is, if there is
an arc, the motor insulation is bad and the
motor either already has problems or will
develop problems soon.
Surge tests are critical because they
are the only tests that find turn-to-turn
insulation weaknesses. These weaknesses
are precursors to serious failures and
shutdown of a motor. Surge tests provide
data that is also used to find hard shorts and
several other mistakes in windings and coils.
The surge test generates a surge pulse
in a motor’s windings, which results in a
decaying oscillating waveform. The test
instrument calculates the difference in
waveforms either phase-to-phase or pulseto-pulse. If the difference is above the
operator’s pass/fail threshold, the motor has
weak winding insulation.
The surge test is important for predictive
maintenance professionals because it can
find cases of weak insulation before the
motor progresses to complete failure.
This allows maintenance programs to
schedule maintenance rather than risk
unplanned downtime.
Check 124 on index.
RELIABLE POWER
When your engine package powers your business, you
need a reliable source of power that you can depend on
under the harshest of conditions. That’s why we use John
Deere PowerTech™ engines which are durable, fuel efficient,
and easy to maintain. They are also backed by one of the
strongest engine and equipment companies in the World.
At engines, inc., we engineer solutions for pump packagers
for a variety of industries, including: water/wastewater;
chemical; oil/gas; and mining. We stand behind our
packages with the most reliable
support structure in the business. Our
skilled staff is always available to you
on our 24-Hour Service Line to give
you the support you need, when you
need it, wherever you are. We are
your power source.
24-HOUR SERVICE LINE
870-268-3799
David Stewart is marketing manager at Electrom
Instruments. He may be reached at david.stewart@
electrominst.com. For more information, visit
electrominst.com/predictive-maintenance.
Jonesboro, AR | 800-562-8049 | www.enginespower.com
Check 113 on index.
PUMPSANDSYSTEMS.COM
55
BEARING PROTECTION
Advantages of an Automated, Wireless
Approach to Condition Monitoring
Analysts can focus on bigger issues and spend less time on day-to-day maintenance.
SCOTT MAYO | Schaeffler Group USA Inc.
Monitoring the condition of bearings
installed inside motors, pumps and other
balance-of-plant rotating assets has
commonly been accomplished by trained
professional vibration analysts—aided
by complex software and a portable
data collector. Using the route-based
technique, the analyst will usually walk
a predetermined path within the plant,
stopping at each machine and taking
readings of vibration data using an
accelerometer and the above-mentioned
collector. After the route is completed,
the collected data is uploaded to a host
computer, where, typically, a more
experienced analyst reviews and analyzes
the data to determine if there are any
machine faults. This condition monitoring
method produces large amounts of data,
requires (usually several) human experts to
operate, has time constraints, and is prone
to missing important machine faults if not
performed consistently. Notably, significant
time can be spent on machines with no
problems. Of course, additional safety
considerations, such as having personnel
exposed to the potential hazards of rotating
machines, are also in play.
Thanks to advances in technology,
particularly the advent of the industrial
internet of things (IIoT), condition
monitoring can now be automated with
the use of wireless, battery-powered
vibration sensors that are permanently
installed on balance-of-plant assets. These
systems use cloud-based platforms for data
storage as well as artificial intelligence
(AI) or machine learning algorithms for
establishing vibration alarm limits and
machine fault diagnostics. This automation
frees up the vibration experts from routine
56
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
IMAGE 1: Condition monitoring of balance-of-plant rotating equipment has commonly been accomplished via
a route-based method. (Images courtesy of Schaeffler Group USA Inc.)
data analysis and allows them to focus on
more problematic, high-profile assets.
Discovering a Machine Fault:
Typical Scenario
After spending most of a day taking
vibration readings on multiple machines
in a plant and returning to the office to
review the data, a vibration analyst notices
the analysis software is indicating high
vibration on a bearing in the driven end
of a centrifugal pump. Vibration is high
in both radial directions but not in the
axial direction. Performing a fast Fourier
transform (FFT) spectral analysis on the
vibration waveforms indicates some
vibration at the machine’s 1X running
speed but well below alarm limits. But
some high vibration peaks are showing up
at nonsynchronous (not harmonic to the
1X running speed) frequencies. The analyst
knows from experience this is a possible
indication of a bearing fault developing,
but additional analysis is needed to
confirm this.
Looking up the pump’s bearing part
number in the plant’s computerized
maintenance management system
(CMMS), the analyst then pulls up the
bearing’s characteristic fault frequencies—
fundamental training train frequency
(FTF), ball spin frequency (BSF), ball
pass frequency outer (BPFO) and ball
pass frequency inner (BPFI)—in the
analysis software. The analyst notes the
characteristic BPFO lines up close to a
vibration peak in the FFT. In addition,
there is a harmonic at twice the frequency
of the vibration peak (at 2X BPFO). From
experience, the analyst knows this is
confirmation that the bearing has a defect
in its outer race. Further measurements in
coming days will confirm the severity of
the bearing fault and how soon the bearing
should be replaced. The analyst’s recommended corrective
action should include ordering a new bearing and scheduling
time to shut the pump down to replace the bearing.
Did this scenario meet the goals of a condition monitoring
program? Yes. The analyst was able to detect a bearing problem
early, take corrective action to fix the problem and, thus, avoid
unplanned downtime.
But there are a few things to note in this scenario:
1. At least one trained vibration analyst is required to operate
this system.
2. This entire process was manually executed and labor
intensive.
3. Vibration data is stored locally across both a portable data
collector and the plant’s network infrastructure.
4. It is not clear where or how vibration alarm limits were
established.
5. The machine fault diagnosis was manually determined,
relying on the analyst’s skill and experience.
6. Confirming the severity of the fault requires focused
attention on the machine, including repeated daily
measurements that are outside of the scheduled routine
measurement route.
7. Although not mentioned, how often are measurements
taken? Once a month? Could the machine fault have been
discovered earlier if readings were taken more often?
Air
Scum
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Secondary
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Aeration
Primary
Dry Sludge Finishing
Dryer
Sludge Digestion
Methane
Automating Condition Monitoring
A wireless condition monitoring system involves the deployment
of battery-powered, wireless vibration sensors on the plant’s
rotating assets. These sensors communicate with a gateway
that, in turn, is connected via a cellular network to the internet.
Data from the sensors is sent to the cloud, where sophisticated
analytics process the information. Users will then be notified of
machine faults via a web-based dashboard on a PC desktop or
push notifications from a phone app. With a wireless, IIoT-based
system, many aspects of a conventional condition monitoring
system can be automated, enabling data to be collected all day,
every day—without fail.
In a nutshell: Users do not have to be trained vibration analysts
to operate a wireless condition monitoring system. Basic
knowledge of machinery and where best to install the vibration
sensors on the machines is needed. Once the sensors are
installed, the system runs in the background, monitoring the
plant’s machines.
This frees up the vibration analyst’s time to focus on problem
machines. In a route-based program, the analyst spends a large
amount of time taking readings on machines that are fine.
This is because all machines must be checked regularly, as no
assumptions can be made about the machine’s condition. With a
wireless system, the condition of a monitored machine is known
at any given time. This allows the analyst to zero in on machines
flagged with a fault.
Check 148 on index.
What Expertise Is Needed?
Predictive maintenance and troubleshooting
that keeps your business running
PUMPSANDSYSTEMS.COM
57
BEARING PROTECTION
Where Is the Data &
How Is It Protected?
In a conventional condition monitoring
system, vibration data is first collected
in a portable device and, at the end of
a collection route, uploaded to a host
computer. This means the system user
must provide the requisite computer
infrastructure, which can require installing
a complex server and involving corporate
information technology (IT) personnel.
In any event, at any given time, data is
spread from a portable device to a
corporate network. Because the data is
often moved around manually, risk of data
loss—ranging from physical damage to the
portable unit to corporate network failure
due to cybersecurity threats—becomes a
serious concern.
With an IIoT-based approach to
condition monitoring, a wireless system
does not need a local server or local host.
Nor is data scattered across multiple
devices. Vibration data is measured in the
sensor and transmitted to a gateway, where
it is periodically uploaded to a cloud-based
platform via a cellular network. Data is
stored, processed and managed in the
cloud. The end user only needs a so-called
“thin client” device—such as a web browser,
tablet or phone app—to view the data.
In contrast, an IIoT-based wireless
system employs AI that incorporates
machine learning algorithms to automate
the setting of alarm thresholds. This means
the system learns the machine’s behavior
during a training phase—while the machine
is in actual operation. And if the machine is
repaired or overhauled, thus changing the
operational behavior, the user can simply
reinitiate the training phase.
In a conventional system, a trained
professional vibration analyst can diagnose
machine faults—assuming sufficient
time and appropriate data are provided
to perform the analysis. In a wireless
system, however, machine fault diagnosis
is automatic because the vibration data
is being processed in the cloud with every
measurement. Rolling element bearing
fault diagnosis provides perhaps the best
example of this use of AI, particularly
with respect to detecting failures in their
early stage. Corresponding to each bearing
part number are the characteristic fault
frequencies that are provided by the
bearing manufacturer. When the wireless
system analyzes the vibration waveform’s
spectrum, it will look for vibration peaks
that match those characteristic frequencies.
And while a human analyst can do this too,
an IIoT-based wireless system performs this
analysis automatically.
What About Alarm Limits &
Fault Diagnosis?
Data Granularity
Appropriate vibration alarm limits not only
protect machines, they allow the analysts
to prioritize the problematic machines.
Accordingly, it is important to set realistic
alarm thresholds.
But how do alarm thresholds get set?
Users could start with the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO)
10816 recommended levels, but this
standard’s machine classifications are often
not appropriate for the machine in question
and can produce unrealistic alarm levels
(too high or too low). What about a machine
manufacturer’s recommended levels? Often
these do not consider actual operational
realities, which applies especially to older
equipment. Consequently, alarm thresholds
tend to be set by experienced analysts,
although this can take much trial and error
to accurately dial in.
As discussed, a conventional route-based
condition monitoring system consists
mainly of an analyst taking measurements
on machines along a preplanned route.
But how often does the analyst restart the
route and return to the same machine? How
often is a vibration reading taken on the
same location on the same machine? More
frequent readings will yield smoother data
granularity, whereas less frequent readings
will produce a coarse granularity. While
many analysts aspire to repeat the route
and take readings on the same machine
each month, experience tells us this does
not always happen. Perhaps the analyst
gets pulled away on a special project or, for
whatever reason, decides to skip that route
this month. As mentioned, if a machine is
flagged as problematic, the extra time and
attention this machine needs may take the
58
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
analyst out of their regular route schedule.
Anything that causes measurements to
be missed creates blind spots in the data.
Meanwhile, what is happening to the
machine between measurements? Can the
analyst determine a machine fault now,
knowing that data on the machine may not
be taken again for several months?
A system with permanently mounted
wireless vibration sensors takes data
readings multiple times per day, every day,
which eliminates blind spots in the data.
This results in an efficiency gain, as many
machines run fine and do not require the
analyst’s attention. When the system does
flag a faulty machine, the analyst can
focus on that piece of equipment, knowing
the rest of the machines in the plant are
being monitored.
Advances in technology, including
the development of cloud-based IIoT
devices, have given wireless vibrationbased condition monitoring solutions an
advantage over conventional, route-based
systems. Because a professional vibration
analyst is not needed to operate the
system, their time is freed up to focus on
problem machines.
Moreover, an IIoT wireless system is
cloud-based, which minimizes the risk of
data loss and removes the need for the
end user to provide a computer
infrastructure to store and process vibration
data. Furthermore, the analytics built into
the cloud platform enable automated
vibration alarm thresholds and machine
fault diagnosis.
But perhaps the biggest advantage
to a wireless system is the permanently
installed sensors that take data readings
every single day. This is in contrast to a
route-based system, which can leave blind
spots in the data and makes the analyst
guess the condition of the machine in
between measurements.
Scott Mayo is a technical service engineer at
Schaeffler Group USA Inc. for the Industry 4.0
services sector in North America. A certified
Category I vibration analyst, he holds a Bachelor of
Science in electrical/electronic engineering from
California State University-Sacramento. For more
information, visit schaeffler.com.
BEARING PROTECTION
Extend Equipment Life
With Bearing Isolator
Labyrinth Seals
The importance of seal selection in harsh applications.
JEFF BLANK | Garlock
While the use of oil seals to retain
lubrication in rotating machinery is
common, bearing isolator labyrinth seal
technology is often selected to protect
bearings and lubrication. Manufacturers,
repair facilities and users often select
bearing isolators for use in harsh
applications where conditions such as
contamination, shaft misalignments and
equipment vibrations are a concern to avoid
frequent replacement. Bearing isolators can
provide improved reliability and protection
of the bearing and extend the mean time
between failure (MTBF) of equipment. In a
time when facility managers are focused on
maintaining costs and limiting production
losses due to downtime or unplanned
outages is critical, bearing isolator
labyrinth seals offer several benefits.
Benefits of Bearing Isolators
Bearing isolator labyrinth seals are used
to protect the bearings and bearing
lubrication in rotating equipment—such
as electric motors, gearboxes, pumps and
split pillow block bearings. In simple terms,
a bearing isolator consists of a stationary
component (stator) and a rotary component
(rotor). The assembly of these components
creates a narrow labyrinth path through
the seal. This design prevents ingress of
contaminants into a bearing arrangement.
In many instances, bearing isolators can
fit in the same space as an oil seal without
requiring modifications to the geometry of
the seal location. There are several reasons
why a bearing isolator would be selected
as an OEM option or as a retrofit in existing
equipment. Bearing isolators provide
several benefits, including long service life
and a noncontact seal configuration that
will not damage shaft surfaces.
Contact lip oil seals are a simple solution
to retain lubrication in rotating machinery.
However, there can be limitations in
performance and reliability. Initially,
an oil seal can provide adequate sealing
characteristics, but over time operating
conditions, configuration and condition of
the machine can contribute to wear—and
eventual failure—of the seal. The average
life of a commercial oil seal can be around
1,500 hours depending on application
variables. A relatively clean application that
meets or exceeds recommended operating
parameters for the seal will likely allow for
longer service life, compared to applications
with harsh environments and increased
misalignments, operating temperatures
and shaft speeds. The good news is that
the MTBF of rotating equipment can be
improved and unscheduled shutdowns
can be minimized with the use of a
bearing isolator, potentially lasting the life
of the equipment.
Equipment Operating Conditions
Aggressive and challenging conditions
When a lip seal is used in a dusty or dirty
operating environment, residue and debris
can eventually embed under the seal lip.
If a seal has leaked, the presence of oil or
grease on the shaft will further contribute
to a buildup of contamination under the
seal lip. This will eventually abrade the lip,
allowing lubrication to leak and shaft wear
and grooving. To overcome these issues, a
user may overfill the bearing unit with oil to
IMAGE 1: Flooded bearing isolator installed with
filled oil level (Images courtesy of Garlock)
IMAGE 2: Flooded bearing isolator section view
ensure the bearing is being lubricated if a
failed seal allows oil to leak.
In a grease lubricated bearing, the
practice of overgreasing (grease purge)
is a common method used to purge
contaminants from the oil seal lip. In both
scenarios, excessive lubrication can create
other problems, not limited to increased
costs from wasted lubrication, increased
operating temperatures, and reduced
efficiency due to the bearings rotating
through increased volumes of grease or oil.
In some industries, oil or grease leaking
outside of a system can also result in
regulatory fines from. This issue can be
mitigated with a bearing isolator, which
provides a bidirectional sealing capability,
both retaining lubrication and preventing
ingress of contaminants into the system.
Seal lubrication requirements
An oil seal requires constant contact
with bearing lubrication to prevent a dry
PUMPSANDSYSTEMS.COM
59
BEARING PROTECTION
IMAGE 4: Shaft grooving: oil seal and
bearing isolator
IMAGE 3: Grooved shaft
running condition of the seal lip. Starving
an oil seal of lubrication can lead to several
issues, including accelerated wear of the
contact lip, added friction and heat in the
equipment and shaft wear. These problems
typically result in a user addressing the
problem as mentioned above to prevent a
bearing failure and avoid a shutdown.
Bearing isolators are a noncontact
design, meaning there is no contact
between a static surface of the seal
assembly with the rotating shaft. This
configuration allows the seal to operate
in a dry condition, without the need for
lubrication or additional maintenance
schedules or the use of equipment
such as automatic grease systems. The
manufacturer-recommended lubrication
levels can be followed, as the bearing
isolator does not require lubrication
contact during operation, and the external
labyrinth will prevent contamination from
entering the bearing. This can result in a
maintenance-free seal assembly, reduced
operating costs and cleaner operating
conditions for rotating equipment.
Equipment vibration and misalignments
While many variables can impact
the performance and service life of a
seal, equipment vibration and shaft
misalignment can have a drastic impact. A
misalignment of machine shafts between
driving and driven components can result
in driveline vibrations. Shaft misalignments
(radial and axial) will typically result in a
similar offset of the shaft, relative to the
seal bore location. If the misalignment
is severe enough, this can exacerbate
wear of an oil seal. Most commercial lip
seals can tolerate only a small amount of
misalignment without affecting the contact
of the seal lip and its ability to retain
60
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
lubrication. Vibrations and misalignment
can create an offset or localized pressure on
the contact lip of the seal, resulting in lip
abrasion, shaft surface wear and eventually
lubrication loss.
When using a bearing isolator seal
that is assembled with a unitized
connection between the stator and
rotor, misalignments and associated
vibrations can be tolerated through
designed labyrinth clearances within
the seal assembly. The unitized
assembly, incorporating a low-friction
polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) connection
component, allows free rotor rotation even
when misalignments and vibrations exist.
The unitized labyrinth design can account
for radial and axial shaft movement,
preventing unwanted contact between the
stator and rotor. Other simple non-unitized
labyrinth designs, assembled with O-rings
between the stator and rotor, do not provide
the required axial control of the rotor as
unitized designs. This allows metallic
components to contact during operation.
Rotation and misalignment between the
rotor and stator during operation can lead
to generation of O-ring particulate and
metal filings, and friction can create heat in
the seal assembly. Also, a standard unitized
labyrinth design could allow for increased
shaft misalignment, and custom labyrinth
design options can further increase these
clearances within the seal assembly.
Equipment lubrication and positive
seal requirements
In certain styles of rotating machinery—
primarily gearboxes—oil lubrication
might fill into the seal cavity, per
recommendation of the OEM. This fill
level is not required to ensure lubrication
to the seal but to guarantee that
internal gearing and bearings are seeing
adequate lubrication during operation.
This recommended fill level can result
in oil filling into the seal location, also
known as a flooded condition. In flooded
oil arrangements, a positive lip seal is
required to prevent oil loss, as a traditional
bearing isolator is configured with an open
labyrinth path, which allows oil to leak.
The user is not limited to using an oil
seal in a flooded oil arrangement. They
could also consider installing a flooded
bearing isolator product to retain oil
inside their system. A flooded bearing
isolator will provide a noncontact seal
design and is configured to avoid causing
wear or grooving of the shaft surface. This
type of seal design would incorporate a
premium fluoroelastomer (FKM) oil seal
element inside of the labyrinth, locating
the contact lip of the seal element directly
on an internal rotating surface of the seal,
rather than directly on the shaft surface. By
utilizing a flooded bearing isolator with a
unitized Ingress Protection Rating 66 (IP66)
rated labyrinth design and an FKM seal
element, the internal oil lubrication levels
will be retained inside the equipment while
also preventing ingress of contaminants.
The combination of these features
can result in a positive non-contact
seal assembly that remains unaffected
by external contamination and will
not wear the equipment shaft surface.
Testing has shown that a flooded bearing
isolator, after incorporating an FKM seal
element internally and a PTFE unitizing
component, will provide a leak-free design
in applications where increased radial shaft
misalignment would otherwise create an
issue for non-flooded designs.
The advantages of bearing isolators
can be wide-ranging, and in many cases,
end users can justify the cost. Using a
bearing isolator can increase MTBF and
eliminate the need for expensive repair
or replacement of damaged shafts. The
noncontact design can prevent future
damage. Bearing isolator labyrinth seals
can be configured to accommodate
increased equipment misalignments and
vibrations in rotating machinery. This can
be beneficial, ultimately avoiding wear and
equipment damage that affect efficiency,
production and the bottom line.
Jeff Blank is a product engineer with Garlock
Klozure. For more information, visit garlock.com.
VISCOSITY
Viscosity Corrections for Centrifugal Pumps
Think again if you are pumping thick fluids using water pump performance curves.
KYLE CLARK | Applied Flow Technology
Viscosity is a fundamental property of a
liquid. It is a fluid’s resistance to flow and
is higher for thicker fluids. For example,
a fluid with high viscosity, such as maple
syrup, is thicker and resists flow more when
compared to a fluid with a lower viscosity,
like water.
Typically, pump manufacturers use
water to obtain the values for their pump
performance curves, even if the intended
service of the pump is for a fluid with
properties that are different from water. But
what happens when the fluid’s viscosity
significantly deviates from water? This is
where engineers need to adjust the pump
performance curves to account for the
difference in viscosity between water and
the actual fluid in the pump.
Pump performance curves describe
the head added to a fluid, pump power
and net positive suction head required
(NPSHr) at a variety of different volumetric
flow rates. Due to the importance of
centrifugal pump performance in every
fluid industry, it is imperative that accurate
corrections are used when a centrifugal
pump uses a thicker fluid than what the
pump manufacturer used to evaluate
the performance. A more viscous fluid
will generally experience a decrease in
volumetric flow rate, head and efficiency
compared to water at the same pump
speed. Likewise, pump power and NPSHr
increase as viscosity increases.
Pump manufacturers that only provide
water performance curves for pumps should
consider providing performance curves
for thicker fluids. Engineers who have
been correcting the water performance
curves when pumping thicker fluids should
consider using the American National
Standards Institute/Hydraulic Institute
(ANSI/HI) 9.6.7-2015 guidelines.
IMAGE 1: Test data (points) with 80% prediction intervals (dashed lines) (Images courtesy of Applied
Flow Technology)
This is where engineers need to adjust
the pump performance curves to account
for the difference in viscosity between
water and the actual fluid in the pump.
While it is preferred to use actual
performance curve data from pump
manufacturers for thicker fluids, ANSI/
HI 9.6.7-2015 provides a commonly used
guideline to correct pump performance
based on viscosity. This guideline has
an acceptable amount of uncertainty,
but it is imperative to understand the
uncertainties of this method to ensure its
correct application in pumping systems.
This article summarizes technical findings
and discussion as to why the guideline is
acceptable despite the uncertainties.
Viscosity corrections rely on empirical
methods using test data to properly
account for a pump performance when
the service fluid has a different viscosity
than the reference fluid, typically water. As
with many empirical methods, uncertainty
inevitably exists and falls into one of the
following categories:
1. The use of a dimensionless number to
characterize complex phenomenon
2. The limited data set used to create the
empirical model
3. The reliability of data measurement
equipment
Before going into more detail, it is worth
discussing why performance decreases
when pumping a viscous fluid.
Intuitively, a thicker fluid will experience
increased hydraulic losses. An increased
viscosity yields a decreased Reynolds
number, which increases the friction factor
and the losses. While the geometry of a
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PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
pump impeller is different and more complex than that of a
pipe, the same principle applies. Increased friction within the
pump will decrease the amount of head the pump can provide.
While this is just an estimation of the complex losses, the
Reynolds number provides a proportional estimation.
A centrifugal pump converts rotational kinetic energy from
the pump impeller into hydrodynamic energy of the fluid.
Shear forces on the fluid between the rotating impeller and the
stationary pump casing generate frictional resistance called
disk friction. This frictional resistance is typically the primary
cause of reduced pump efficiency during normal operation.
Using the Reynolds number again, an increase in viscosity
yields a larger Reynolds number and, thus, a larger resistance,
which results in increased power consumption. Engineers
can use the Reynolds number paired with the specific speed
of the pump to estimate the disk friction. Disk friction is a
complex interaction; so again, estimating these effects with two
dimensionless parameters inherently has limited accuracy for
all applications.
Considering the previous two frictional losses, hydraulic and
disk, energy losses due to friction generally convert to heat,
resulting in an increased temperature of the fluid. The increased
fluid temperature affects the viscosity of the fluid, which also
affects pump performance. This explains why pumps in systems
with viscous fluids have different behaviors in a cold startup
compared to a steady operation.
To account for the effects that a viscous fluid has on
pump performance, an engineer can use general correction
factors for head, volumetric flow rate and efficiency, shown in
Equation 1. A dimensionless number called B helps predict the
viscous component of each correction factor. The parameter
B incorporates the effects of the Reynolds number and the
specific speed of the pump, for frictional loss reasons discussed
above. The parameter B also informs the range of applicability
for the corrections. For example, when B is greater than 40, it
will take further loss analysis to determine if the correction
factors are still dependable.
An engineer can use the correction factors to adjust the
pump performance curve from the values obtained using water
to a predicted curve for how the pump will perform with the
viscous fluid. The ANSI/HI 9.6.7-2015 method calculates the
CH =
Hviscous
Hwater
CQ =
Qviscous
Qwater
ηviscous
ηwater
CE =
Equation 1
•
•
water BEP head from 30 to 427 feet
(9 to 130 meters)
water BEP efficiency from 28% to 86%
Graphing the test data from which
the correction factors were based versus
the B parameter, research shows that
most of the test data points fall within
an 80% prediction interval, as shown in
Image 1. However, pumps with the same
B parameter can have a range of different
viscous performance points. Graphing
independent experimental data supports
the same general trend shown in Image 1.
In most pumping systems the ANSI/
HI corrections will provide acceptably
accurate predictions for viscous pump
performance, especially as engineers
include various safety factors and
margins of error, as they often do. For
situations that call for a more conservative
estimation, an engineer can account for
the standard deviations on the correction
factors. Include the standard deviation by
lowering the head correction factor by 0.1
and the efficiency factor by 0.15, which
will result in a larger pump and motor.
The viscosity ANSI/HI guidelines are
widely used. In fact, feedback indicates
that using the corrections does not
result in incorrectly sized pumps for
most applications. Regardless, engineers
designing systems with thicker fluids
must understand the uncertainties and
limitations of the corrections.
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PUMPSANDSYSTEMS.COM
63
Check 109 on index.
correction factors for volumetric flow rate
(CQ) and efficiency (CE) and assumes these
values to be constant at all analyzed flow
rates for the pump and fluid of interest.
For the head correction factor (CH), the
method assumes the shutoff head for the
pump is not dependent on the viscosity
of the fluid and will be the same value for
both water and the viscous fluid.
Additionally, the method assumes the
flow and head correction factors, CQ and
CH, are equal at the water best efficiency
point (BEP). With those constraints in
mind, the head correction factor is a
function of the volumetric flow rate
correction factor, CQ, and the ratio of
water flow rate relative to the BEP flow
rate, QW / QBEP-W.
Several researchers evaluated these
correction factors in a variety of different
settings to compare the predicted head
and power for a pump with viscous fluid
to actual test data of the viscous fluid
in the pump. While there are deviations,
actual and predicted values differ based
on the flow rate and fluid viscosity, in most
cases the tested values agreed with the
predicted values.
Researchers attribute some of the
deviation to uncertainty that comes
from measurement instruments, which is
difficult to quantify.
The ANSI/HI 9.6.7-2015 guideline is
based on test data for the following pumps
and fluids. Thus, the guideline is generally
only applicable for systems that fall within
these constraints.
• single and multistage pumps
• closed and open impellers
• specific speeds from 310 to 2,330 U.S.
units (6 to 45 metric)
• kinematic viscosity from 1 to 3,000
centistokes (cSt)
• impeller diameters from 5.5 to 16
inches (140 to 406 millimeter [mm])
• water BEP flow from 32 to 1,230 gallons
per minute (gpm) (7.2 to 280 cubic
meters per hour [m3/hr])
HI PUMP FAQS
Impeller Balance Grades & Avoiding
Galvanic Corrosion
HYDRAULIC INSTITUTE
Q|
What impeller balance
grade should be used to limit
pump vibration?
High levels of residual unbalance in
rotating parts can generate high unbalance
forces resulting in excessive bearing and
shaft loading and inducing high levels
of vibration.
Pump impellers are typically balanced
in accordance with International
Organization for Standardization (ISO) 1940
balance quality grade G6.3 or better. (ISO
1940 for values relating to other balance
grades). It is important to note that the
G6.3 is a generality. Some equipment may
run at higher speeds and require a better
balance grade to meet vibration standards,
and other equipment may be lower speed
and built robustly for a heavy-duty service.
For example, slurry pump impellers will
have wear during operation that will change
the balance; therefore, slurry pumps are
designed to operate with a large amount of
unbalance in the impeller. For the balance
of slurry pump type impellers, refer to
the latest edition of American National
Standards Institute/Hydraulic Institute
(ANSI/HI) 12.1-12.6.
Another important factor to consider
is single-plane versus two-plane balance.
Depending on component geometry, it
may be satisfactory to perform a singleplane spin balance. Components are
typically single-plane balanced if the
ratio of diameter to width (D/b) is 6.0 or
greater (Image 1). Two-plane (or dynamic)
balancing is typically performed otherwise.
Unbalance is only one of the causes
of rotating equipment vibration but is
arguably the most prevalent. Therefore,
it makes sense to pay attention to balance
of the rotating elements to limit the
64
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
IMAGE 1: Diameter (D) to width (b) illustration for single and double suction impellers (Images courtesy
of Hydraulic Institute)
vibration; however, a pump with the most
precise balance can still exhibit excessive
vibration due to operating away from the
design point, misalignment, resonance or
poor installation.
For more information on impeller
balance and pump vibration, refer to “ANSI/
HI 9.6.4 Rotodynamic Pumps for Vibration
Measurement and Allowable Values” at
pumps.org.
Q|
What are material selection
considerations to avoid
galvanic corrosion?
When galvanic corrosion is a concern, the
chemical and physical properties of the
material selected must be considered.
However, this requires upfront information
and knowledge; therefore, galvanic
corrosion is an issue. If this is the case,
then the user will need to replace or repair
components at more frequent intervals.
Galvanic corrosion is the accelerated
electrochemical corrosion produced when
one metal is in electrical contact with
IMAGE 2: Galvanic series of metals and alloys
beginning with the corroded end (anodic, or least
noble)—white boxes indicate active behavior of
active-passive alloys
another more noble metal, both being
immersed in the same corroding medium
(called the electrolyte). Corrosion of
this type usually results in accelerated
What actually determines
galvanic effect is the
quantity of current
generated rather than the
potential difference.
degradation for anodic and protection for the cathodic material.
The cathodic material is the more noble metal.
With knowledge of the galvanic corrosion behavior of metals
and alloys, it is possible to arrange them in a series that indicates
their general tendencies to form galvanic cells and then predict
the probable direction of the galvanic effects. The relative
positions of the metals will vary to some extent depending on the
electrolyte. Such a series for seawater is illustrated in Image 2.
When the liquid to be handled is an electrolyte, combinations of
dissimilar metals that may promote galvanic reactions should,
where practical, be avoided. The rate of corrosion, where metals
widely separated in the galvanic series are used, will depend
on such factors as the nature of the electrolyte, temperature,
velocity and particularly the relative cathode-anode surface area.
Note that some of the metals in Image 2 are grouped
together. These group members have no strong tendency to
produce galvanic corrosion on each other. From a practical
standpoint, they are relatively safe to use in contact with each
other, but the coupling of two metals from different groups
and distant from each other in the list will result in galvanic or
accelerated corrosion of the one higher in the list. The farther
apart the metals stand, the greater the galvanic action will
be. This may be determined by measurement of the electrical
potential difference between them and this is often done. But
it is not practical to tabulate these differences, because the
voltage values for combinations of the metals will vary with
every different corrosive condition. What actually determines
galvanic effect is the quantity of current generated rather than
the potential difference.
For more information on pump materials of construction and
corrosion resistance, refer to “ANSI/HI 9.1-9.5 Pumps – General
Guidelines for Materials, Sound Testing, and Decontamination of
Returned Products” at pumps.org.
Check 130 on index.
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OEMs. For more information, visit pumps.org.
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Check 119 on index.
PUMPSANDSYSTEMS.COM
65
SEALING SENSE
Can Braided Packing Extend
Pump Bearing Life?
Select the right sealing solution for a specific application.
WARREN MONTGOMERY | FSA member
Often, plant personnel is put into the
awkward position of balancing running for
longer to meet the demands of expanding
production and lowering downtime to
maintain equipment. Companies are
looking to extend operating efficiencies
by prolonging scheduled maintenance.
Premature pump packing failures caused
by other pump components can cause
expensive delays.
The bearing of a pump is critical. If it is
not performing properly, it can put other
pump components at risk such as the
impeller, shaft sleeve, packing, gear box,
motor and bearing seals. This article will
identify the specific relationship between
packing and pump bearings, and it will
provide options to correct problems using
the best available braided mechanical
packing solution for an application.
inappropriate material, race, cage type,
load or performance range can lead to
failures. Another important parameter of
the application is the rotational speed.
Equipment’s operating speed, or rotations
per minute (rpm), can generate heat for the
application that may adversely affect the
bearing and the adjacent components.
Bearing Specifications
Conditions & Challenges
Keeping bearings properly lubricated
and maintained is critical to keeping a
pump operating at its proper efficiency.
Monitoring the health of the equipment
during its hours of operation will help
improve the overall performance of the
plant’s systems. Understanding the
common causes of bearing failures such
as inappropriate selection, overloading,
equipment misalignment, incorrect
installation, lubrication failures and
contamination will result in making better
decisions to maximize plant productivity.
It is important to identify the correct
type, style and material component of
the bearing being used for a particular
application. Using a bearing that has been
incorrectly sourced (like a spherical roller
versus a deep groove ball) or one that is the
Once a pump starts to experience some
component of a bearing problem, the
pump shaft will begin to move, creating an
increase in clearance. As the clearances to
the equipment’s shaft/sleeve change, the
runout or concentricity (commonly used
terms) will change.
How do these conditions influence
a proper seal? Runout is defined as the
total variation that a reference surface
can have when the part is rotated around
the datum’s true axis. Concentricity is the
tolerance used to establish a tolerance zone
for the median points of a cylindrical part.
Another case that can certainly exasperate
both tolerance conditions would be the
use of a bolt-on stuffing box. There are
many times users can be so focused on the
condition of shaft surface finishes that they
66
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
IMAGE 1: Pump bearing failure (Images
courtesy of A.W. Chesterton Company)
IMAGE 2: Contamination of bearings
IMAGE 3: Runout condition
IMAGE 4: Concentricity
IMAGE 5: Solid round rubber cord
IMAGE 6: Hollow rubber cord
When comparing packings and
manufacturers, end users should know
that they are not all the same.
overlook the connections between the
stuffing box bolt circle and inside diameter
(ID) of the box bore to the outside diameter
(OD) of the shaft or sleeve. These points of
measurement on a shaft or shaft sleeve can
play an important part in understanding
the relationship between the stuffing box ID
dimension, the pump shaft OD and packing
cross-section. It is always useful to check
a shaft and/or sleeve with a dial indicator
gauge. This is one way to get an accurate
measurement of pump’s concentricity. It
is not always clear to plant personnel when
these occurrences start but incrementally
the packing life will become shorter and
shorter. There will be a point when the user
will start to question the performance of the
equipment’s mechanical seals or packing
sets. The next step would be to consider
other recommendations for a new seal face
combination or even a new type of seal. If
mechanical packing is being used, the plant
may want to consider new material types or
even special packing arrangements to help
extend and improve sealing life.
Plants are confronted with equipment
experiencing shaft movement from either
pumps, mixers or other applications like
hydro pulpers. Hydro pulpers can run
into these problems as a result of being a
bottom entry design where the bearings
can easily become contaminated from
the pulp and water process media. Large
bales of recycled cardboard are dropped
into this large device that acts as a
centrifuge, and if the water levels are too
low, there is a risk of slight momentary
shaft movement. This movement will occur
to one side of the shaft as these large bales
hit the spinning blade and are broken into
smaller pieces, mix with water and become
the process medium. Because of the
nature of the equipment design, there are
tendencies to increase the flush pressure to
a higher flow rate to overcome the process
medium migrating into the stuffing box,
bearings and gearbox.
IMAGE 7: Five-cord with special shapes
packings using hollow center core designs.
There are packing styles that even use
up to five cords in their braided packings,
which not only use the center core but
now add smaller size rubber cords into
the four corners. Beyond using the typical
round O-ring cord in the center of packing,
manufacturers have introduced other
shapes like squares and diamonds into the
design to improve sealing performance.
When comparing packings and
manufacturers, end users should know
that they are not all the same. Beyond
the material differences of the yarn,
the packing is constructed with rubber
cord compounds that can have different
hardness (durometer) and sizes. These
factors will contribute to the amount of
deflection a packing can absorb. Working
with a packing manufacturer that
understands the needs of the application
and equipment and can guide users to the
best braided packing sealing solution is
important.
Packing Materials & Styles
Mechanical packing manufacturers
have always been up to the challenge to
develop many types of braided packings
to help improve sealing performance
for these troubled applications. Packing
manufacturers have combined many
types of the latest yarn materials such as
polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), graphite/
carbon, aramid fibers, PTFE/graphite with
a variety of rubber O-ring materials like
fluorocarbon-based fluoroelastomers (FKM),
silicone, nitrile and ethylene propylene
diene monomer (EPDM) in the packing
cores to help improve and extend sealing
performance. These same manufacturers
have also developed rubber core packings
using one single, solid center core to
We invite your suggestions for article topics
as well as questions on sealing issues so we
can better respond to the needs of the industry.
Please direct your suggestions and questions to
sealingsensequestions@fluidsealing.com.
Warren Montgomery is the global product
line manager of packing and gasketing for A.W.
Chesterton Company. He is also the chairman
for the Fluid Sealing Association Packing
Division. Montgomery may be reached at warren.
montgomery@chesterton.com. For more information
visit chesterton.com. Visit the new Fluid Sealing
Association website to learn more on the latest
industry articles, upcoming events, education and
training materials at fluidsealing.com.
PUMPSANDSYSTEMS.COM
67
BACK TO BASICS
4 Steps to Determine Which Powered Drum
Pump Is Best for Your Application
Considerations can include specific gravity, fluid temperature, size and portability.
PETE SCANTLEBURY | Finish Thompson
Facilities worldwide receive myriad liquids
in drums and totes/intermediate bulk
containers (IBCs). Safely and efficiently
removing these liquids from these
containers is key.
Benefits of Powered Pumps
Powered container transfer pumps offer
multiple benefits:
Risk reduction—designed to
withstand harsh chemicals and
keep them safely contained
during transfers, effectively
mitigating employee and
company risk
Versatility—available in models
for high- and low-volume transfer,
various levels of specific gravity/
viscosity and diverse chemicalhandling capabilities, for a full
range of pumping solutions
Portability—easily transported
for various tasks throughout a
facility, with minimal footprint
to conserve space or for use in
smaller settings
Speed—able to transfer high
volumes of fluids quickly
and effectively to improve
productivity and boost the
bottom line
Durability—offering longevity
and low maintenance throughout
an extended life span, reducing
cost and operating smoothly for
a prolonged period, even under
harsh conditions
Because there are so many options
on the market, it is crucial to carefully
determine which pumps are best
68
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
IMAGE 1: Drums containing corrosive, flammable liquid (Images courtesy of Finish Thompson)
suited to each application. Use the
following four steps to determine which
powered drum pump is best for the
application and select the best model for
optimum results.
application involves transfer to a second
story or requires an entire drum or tote to
be emptied, a pump with higher head or
flow capabilities will be required.
1
What chemicals are being transferred?
Many applications involve harsh chemicals
like acids and bases. Will the fluid that
the pump will transfer be flammable or
combustible? To ensure safe transfer, the
appropriate materials must be selected.
Ask the Right Questions
Start by asking a series of questions
about the specific application for which
a powered pump is being considered. The
answers to these questions will reveal the
parameters of your pump needs and guide
the selection process.
What is the required head and flow?
Depending on the size of the containers
and the pressure capabilities involved,
the application may require higher flow
or head. If simple transfer is required,
transferring fluid into a bucket for
example, a pump with lower flow and head
capabilities is typically sufficient. If the
What is the temperature of the fluid?
Most powered pumps have temperature
limits based on the materials of
construction, as well as the length and
style. For safe and effective transfers,
it is crucial to consider the maximum
temperature of the fluids being pumped.
Many are being transferred at ambient
temperatures but some, like certain plating
applications, involve hot fluids.
What is the specific gravity and viscosity of the fluid?
Pumping fluids with high specific gravity may require a more
powerful motor or a high viscosity fluid may require a specific
pump type. Attempting to use a pump not designed for high
specific gravity or viscosity can provide poor results so it is
crucial to check these ratings. Refer to the chemical’s safety
data sheet (SDS) for specific gravity information. Viscosity
typically varies by temperature, so make sure the value being
used is correct for the temperature of the fluid being pumped.
Users may need to talk to the supplier about viscosity.
What is the container size?
The size of the container affects both the selection of the pump
model and the length of the pump tube for the application since
container height varies by volume. IBCs/totes and tanks require
different solutions than smaller containers and drums. The
emptying and filling of large containers may require pumps that
can transfer significant volumes more quickly or have longer
tubes (Image 1).
Are size and portability important?
Some applications require a pump that can be easily transported
throughout a facility for various tasks. Others might require
pumps with a small footprint to fit in tight spaces. If the pump
must meet certain space parameters or provide highly portable
use, these are important considerations as a pump is chosen.
If the pump is going to be used in multiple applications, it is
essential that the pump’s construction is safe and suitable for
each application. High viscosity applications frequently require
larger pumps with larger and heavier motors, so consider air
motor options to reduce weight if portability is important.
Container Size
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Check 118 on index.
Monitor Vibration
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Pails & buckets
16 inch (41 cm)
15-gallon (60 liter) drums
27 inch (69 cm)
30/50-gallon (120/200 liter) drums/
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40 inch (102 cm)
275-gallon (1,040 liter) IBCs/totes
48 inch (122 cm)
330-gallon (1,250 liter) IBCs/totes
54 inch (137 cm)
Larger tanks
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72 inch (183 cm)
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IMAGE 2: Container size with required tube length
w
Is there a motor preference?
Many powered drum pumps can be operated with various types
of motors including air, electric, explosion-proof electric and
lithium-ion battery powered. Consider the environment in which
the pump will be used to determine if a particular motor is
preferred for the application. If the pump is going to be used in a
hazardous environment where flammable or combustible vapors
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Check 139 on index.
PUMPSANDSYSTEMS.COM
69
BACK TO BASICS
IMAGE 3: Drum pump in hot plating application
IMAGE 4: Nozzles help provide precise control of
fluid flow
IMAGE 5: Cordless lithium-ion battery motor
pumping machine coolant into CNC
Gather the SDS for each chemical to
be pumped. In “Section 3: Composition/
Information on Ingredients” of the SDS,
a list of the chemicals and percentages
can be found. Using chemical resistance
guides that are offered by drum pump
manufacturers, confirm the materials of
construction in a pump under consideration
are suitable with the chemicals listed in
the SDS. Another source is the chemical
manufacturer or supplier.
If the material to be pumped is a
flammable or combustible liquid, extra
care is required. The pump, motor and
accessories all need to be suitable for use
with flammable/combustible fluids and use
in hazardous locations.
Pump series
Specific series from drum pump
manufacturers are designed for or have
options for different types of applications.
Some are designed for transferring large
volumes of fluids in short periods of time
while others are better suited to the transfer
of small quantities. Others are ideally
suited for pumping viscous or flammable/
combustible fluids. Using the answers
gathered in step 1, review the pump
series offered by manufacturers or local
distributors. This is also the appropriate
time to select the tube length required for
the application.
3
IMAGE 6: Drum pump
are present, an explosion-proof electric or
air motor will be required.
2
Select the Best Pump
Based on the answers to the
parameters in step 1, choose the best pump
for the application.
Materials of construction
Drum pumps are available in a wide range
of materials of construction. These include
the outer tube, the most visible portion but
also the internal components like the drive
shaft, impeller and elastomers.
70
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
Choose the Right Motor
Pump motors are not all
interchangeable. Each pump series is
compatible with specific motors for optimal
functioning. Many come with speed control
to allow adjustment for precision flow. In
addition, certain motors are better suited
for some settings than others. Consider the
type of location the motor will be operating
in to choose the enclosure type. Choose the
preferred power source (corded electric, air
or battery powered).
The following are the most common
motor options and their key features.
• Splash-proof/open drip proof (IP24):
Economical and lighter weight than
other electric motors, they are protected
in every direction from water splashes.
• Enclosed/totally-enclosed fan-cooled
(TEFC) (IP54/55): This type is sealed
•
•
•
against water splashes, dust and
corrosive fumes. It is the best choice for
use with fuming chemicals and dusty
environments.
Explosion-proof (IP54/55): As with TEFC
motors, this style is sealed against
corrosive fumes, water splashes and
dust. They have the added benefit of
being appropriate for hazardous areas
and are suitable for use with flammable
or combustible liquids.
Air: This motor style is compact and
lightweight compared to electric
motors. Because this type of motor
offers nonelectrical operation, they are
generally considered acceptable for
use in hazardous areas and for use with
flammable or combustible liquids.
Lithium-ion battery (IP24): The portable,
cordless design makes it easy to transfer
fluids. It is typically found on pump
series with lower flow ranges.
4
Make Sure You Have the Right
Accessories
Some of the recommended accessories
include:
• Hose: Hoses are available in a variety of
lengths and materials of construction.
Select a hose that is chemically
compatible with the fluid being pumped,
temperature and diameter to match the
pump connection.
• Nozzles: These allow operators to better
control the flow of fluid through the
pump hose.
• Flow meters: Flow meters allow
technicians to measure the fluid volume
dispensed accurately.
• Strainers: Strainers protect the pump
from potential damage from foreign
objects. Some pump models even
feature built-in strainers.
Doing the research and planning before
investing in a powered drum pump helps
ensure the correct choice is being made for
safe operation and long life.
Pete Scantlebury is vice president of development
at Finish Thompson, where he has worked for
more than 45 years. For more information, visit
finishthompson.com.
MAINTENANCE MATTERS
Protect Bearings in
General Purpose Steam Turbines
Avoiding leakage can be important in any application.
HEINZ P. BLOCH | Process Machinery Consulting
From their original industrial design in
the late 1800s, small steam turbines have
incorporated bushing-type single-piece
and/or segmented multipiece carbon
gland inserts (Image 1) to limit or throttle
escaping steam.
IMAGE 1: Partial steam gland (left) and segmented
carbon rings (right) (Images courtesy of the author)
Initially, simple deflectors or flinger
discs were attached between the steam
gland and adjacent bearing(s) in the
expectation that steam leakage along the
shaft would be reduced. However, turbine
shafts are made from steel, and the steel’s
coefficient of thermal expansion differs
from that of carbon. Thus, even with
close-fitting segmented carbon rings,
true leakage prevention has never been
achieved. As a small amount of steam
rushes through gaps at sonic velocity, an
IMAGE 2: Steam leakage is wasteful and impairs
reliable operation if steam reaches bearings
abrasive effect known as “steam cutting”
continually erodes or widens the gap.
The interacting processes of physics,
thermodynamics and hydraulics combine
to cause steam leakage, as seen in Image 2.
The need to limit steam egress through
optimized steam gland selection becomes
evident, and two design elements—steam
glands and bearing housing protector
(isolator) seals—contribute to the
protection of bearings in small turbines.
Together, they greatly enhance both steam
gland effectiveness (saving steam) and
bearing protection.
The drawbacks of segmented carbon
gland inserts are discussed first. That small
steam turbines (general purpose steam
turbines), often suffer from steam leakage
at both drive and governor-end sealing
housings is widely known. Whenever
these housings or glands incorporate the
segmented carbon rings shown in Image 1,
these segmented rings are prone to leak for
the reasons stated above. Reduced leakage
is obtainable by allowing time for runningin and by applying timed start-stop-cool
cycles that are linked to temperatures
reached during successive cycles. The
underlying science is linked to thermal
expansion; carbon segments and steel
shafts expand at much different rates.
Unless timed start-stop-cool cycles are
observed during the typically eight-hour
duration run-in cycle, the leakage gap will
grow due to progressive erosion. So long as
equipment owners take the time to monitor
and implement proper run-in, segmented
carbon rings may serve them well. However,
if a facility does not follow procedures or
decides to entrust maintenance tasks to
workers who disregard these requirements,
repair frequencies and maintenance
expenditures will increase. As an aside,
keep in mind that upgrading the steam
turbine shown in Image 3 would include
replacing both of the unbalanced, constant
level lubricators with a more modern,
balanced version.
IMAGE 3: Small steam turbine with bearing regions
“O” located next to steam glands that are intended
to prevent steam from leaking into bearings
Each of the two bearing housings in
Images 3 and 4 is located adjacent to one
of the two steam glands; the ones shown
in Image 3 contain four carbon rings.
Whenever segmented carbon rings begin
to wear, high-pressure and high-velocity
leakage steam finds its way into the
adjacent bearing housings.
IMAGE 4: Major components of small steam
turbines
PUMPSANDSYSTEMS.COM
71
MAINTENANCE MATTERS
Traditional labyrinth seals have proven
ineffective in many such cases, and
only seal glands incorporating either
dry gas seal (DGS) or advanced hightemperature mechanical seal technology
succeed in blocking the passage of
leakage steam. However, for seal faces
using DGS technology, the steam must
be dry and clean. If pure steam is not
available, seal face combinations using
advanced mechanical seal know-how are
preferred over face technology derived
from DGS experience. The feasibility and
cost-effectiveness of using bellows seals
instead of segmented carbon inserts in
small steam turbines was first established
and reported in 19851 and predates DGS
experience. Today, either DGS or bellowstype mechanical seals are mounted inside
the cartridge shown in Image 5.
IMAGE 5: Steam turbine gland cartridge using DGS
technology replaces the steam gland shown in
Image 4 (Source: AESSEAL, Inc.)
Returning to the subject of bearing
housing protector seals, note that best-inclass (BiC) facilities have long recognized
the difference between inexpensive
rudimentary and advanced designs.
Advanced bearing protector seals are
carefully engineered to curtail and even
prevent contaminant ingress
and oil leakage. Although inexpensive,
the flying O-ring, which can have surface
degradation when contacting an opposing
sharp-edged stationary containment
groove, and elastomeric lip seals may no
longer be the best options for sealing at the
bearing housing.
Regarding lip seals, it has been
established that leak-free operation
typically lasts about 2,000 hours, which is
approximately three months. Also, when lip
72
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
IMAGE 6: Bearing protector seal designed for steam turbines (Source: AESSEAL Inc)
seals are too tight, they cause shaft wear. In
some cases, lip seal and O-ring degradation
can cause lubricant discoloration known as
black oil. Once lip seals have worn and can
no longer seal tightly, steam, air, oil and
other fluids are lost through leakage.
The inadequacies of lip seals are
recognized by the American Petroleum
Institute (API) 610 standard for process
pumps. This widely accepted guideline
document disallows lip seals and calls for
either rotating labyrinth-style or contacting
face seals.
Returning to the bearing housing
protector seal in Image 6, this configuration
was specifically designed for steam
turbines.2 Material selection is governed by
all applicable engineering principles. With
modern steam glands as the primary shield
against escaping steam, bearing housing
protector seals can be viewed as a second
line of defense.
Earlier versions of such seals
incorporated a small and a large diameter
dynamic O-ring. Both static and rotating
components in the highly successful
original protector seal assembly of Image
6 proved stable; the rotating component is
not likely to wobble on the shaft and the
entire seal is field-repairable. At normal
shaft rotational speeds, the smaller of the
rotating (dynamic) O-rings is flung outward
and away from the larger O-ring. The larger
cross-section O-ring is then free to move
axially and a micro-gap opens.
When the turbine is stopped, the outer
of the two dynamic O-rings in Image 6 will
move back to its stand-still location. At
stand-still, the outer O-ring contracts and
pushes the larger cross-section O-ring. In
this purposeful design, the larger crosssection O-ring then touches a relatively
large, contoured area. Because contact
pressure equals force per unit area, a good
design will aim for low pressure. In this
protector seal design, the pressure is low
because a large, well-contoured sealing
area is present.
It should again be noted that today’s
available designs differ from outdated
configurations wherein contact with the
IMAGE 7: Cutaway view of modern steam turbine
gland shows its dry gas seal heritage (Source:
AESSEAL, Inc.)
IMAGE 8: Cross-section view of modern steam turbine gland shows its
nonrotating flexing bellows components, sealed and centered by two U-cupstyle high-temperature elastomer parts (Source: AESSEAL, Inc.)
sharp edges of an O-ring groove risked causing damage.
To restate: More recent single O-ring versions of this original
design differ little from the original; single O-ring variants are
both cost-effective and take up less space. As in the original
design, once the turbine rotor reaches its operating speed,
the O-ring moves diagonally outwards. This opens a microgap
between the O-ring and a contoured seating surface, which will
be contacted by the O-ring at standstill.
The need to keep airborne dust away from bearings is
considerable in plants that process powdery substances.
Although external air supplies are not normally needed, powder
processing and many other applications benefit from an
engineered air bleed variant. Clean and dry instrument-grade air
introduced (bled) into one of the small chambers of the bearing
housing protector seal makes the air bleed variant an effective
extender of lubricant and bearing life.
In summary: As of about 2017, many best-in-class facilities
have discontinued using segmented carbon rings. The old-style
steam glands shown in Image 4 (note one gland adjacent to
each turbine wheel) would be replaced by the mechanical seat
type steam gland cartridge illustrated in Image 5. Different
views of this steam gland cartridge are shown in Images 7 and 8.
Adding state-of-art bearing housing protector seals contributes
even more value to these upgrades.
References
1. Bloch, Heinz P., and Hurl Elliott; “Mechanical Seals for MediumPressure Steam Turbines,” presented at the ASLE 40th Annual
Meeting in Las Vegas, NV, May 1985 and reprinted in Lubrication
Engineering, November 1985
2. Bloch, Heinz P., “Fluid Machinery: Life Extension of Pumps, Gas
Compressors, and Drivers;” (2020), DeGruyter Publishing, Berlin,
Germany, ISBN 978-3-11-067413-2
Check 136 on index.
UNMATCHABLE EXPERIENCE IN
FLOW CONTROL TRANSACTIONS
Jordan Knauff & Company is a knowledgeable and
experienced provider of a comprehensive line of
investment banking services to the pump, valve and
filtration industries (“Flow Control”).
Our lines of business include: selling companies,
raising debt and equity capital, and assistance
on acquisitions.
To learn more about Jordan Knauff & Company, contact any member of our Flow
Control team. Access our Flow Control research
at www.jordanknauff.com/research-library.
G. Cook Jordan, Jr.
Heinz P. Bloch’s professional career started in 1962 and included long-term
assignments as Exxon Chemical’s regional machinery specialist for the United
States. He has authored or co-written over 770 publications, among them 22
comprehensive books on practical machinery management, failure analysis,
failure avoidance, compressors, steam turbines, pumps, oil mist lubrication and
optimized lubrication for industry. Bloch holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s
degree in mechanical engineering from Newark College of Engineering.
Managing Principal
cj@jordanknauff.com
312.254.5901
David A. Kakareka
Managing Director
dkakareka@jordanknauff.com
312.254.5907
MEMBER FINRA, SIPC
Check 123 on index.
PUMPSANDSYSTEMS.COM
73
PRODUCTS
NEW & NOTABLE TECHNOLOGY
3
Selected by the Pumps & Systems editors
2
4
1
5
1 SANITARY PUMP
QuickStrip FoodFirst 600 series pumps from
UNIBLOC HYGIENIC TECHNOLOGIES feature a
patented, all-stainless design with no rotor bolts or
O-rings to help eliminate foreign material entering
the process stream. With fewer components, they
can easily be assembled/reassembled with no tools,
minimizing wear and tear during sanitation cycles.
unibloctech.com
Check 201 on index.
2 PORTABLE BYPASS PUMP
Whether clearing sewage water or providing
drainage in difficult-to-reach areas, the VAUGHAN
COMPANY portable bypass pump units provide
unmatched reliability. Vaughan portable pumps
offer power and efficiency for handling tough
or low shear solids in temporary and permanent
applications.
chopperpumps.com
Check 202 on index.
3 SMART CIRCULATOR
BELL & GOSSETT, a Xylem brand, has announced
the launch of the new ecocirc 20-18/ecocirc+
20-18—variable speed ECM smart circulator. The
variable speed ECM smart circulator, ecocirc 20-18,
provides an efficient product for both heating and
cooling, as well as potable water. The ecocirc+ 20-18
model comes with additional premium features—
such as Bluetooth communication—allowing
wireless connectivity directly to a smartphone or
tablet for remote access control.
bellgossett.com
Check 203 on index.
4 SENSORS
NEWTEK LVDT position sensors enable precise
monitoring and control of valves so turbines
operate efficiently with minimal wasted
energy. NewTek HAR series displacement
sensors measure movements as small as a
few millionths of an inch, which enables them
to monitor the movement of valves to minute
degrees. For a medium-sized plant, a 2%
efficiency improvement could translate into a
million dollars in fuel savings.
newteksensors.com
Check 204 on index.
5 SOLIDS HANDLING PUMP
The THOMPSON PUMP 6-inch compressorassisted solids handling pump (6JSCE) is strong
in sewer bypass, emergency response and any
high-head/high-volume applications. With its
heavy-duty cast-iron construction and fast
priming capabilities, the 6JSCE is designed for
flows up to 2,680 gallons per minute (gpm),
and heads up to 190 feet, with maximum solids
handling up to three inches. This end-suction
centrifugal pump has the ability to dry-prime
and reprime automatically and is equipped with
the Enviroprime system that does not allow
product blow-by of pumped materials.
thompsonpump.com
Check 205 on index.
6
6 PRESS VALVES
VIEGA is introducing a new line of MegaPress G
valves in 1/2-inch to 2-inch sizes. These valves,
like MegaPressG press fittings, are approved for
use in gas and fuel oil applications. The valves
are suitable for use with ASTM Schedule 5 to
Schedule 40 carbon steel pipe.
Viega also is launching larger sizes of its
MegaPress 3-piece ball valves, the first press
ball valve of its kind in the 2 and 1/2-inch to
4-inch range. In addition, ProPress valves are
now available in sizes 2 and 1/2-inch to 4-inch
for use with copper and stainless CTS pipes.
viega.us
Check 206 on index.
To have a product considered for this section, please send the information to Drew Champlin, dchamplin@cahabamedia.com.
74
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
10
9
11
8
12
10 316 STAINLESS BOWLS & IMPELLERS
SIMFLO dedicated line of 316 Stainless Steel
SIMFLO’s
pumps are durable, corrosion resistant and
adaptable for use in the harshest environments.
These bowls and impellers are designed for a wide
variety of applications from water and wastewater
treatment and distribution, industrial processing,
petroleum production, mining, agriculture and
more. The series features stainless steel optimized
5-inch to 16-inch bowls and 50-5000 gpm, plus
Vesconite bearings, specifi
specifically
cally designed for wear
in challenging operating conditions. These are
certified to NSF.
certified
simflo.com
Check 210 on index.
11 PORTABLE TRANSFER PUMP
8 SLURRY PACKING
7
7 ROTARY LUBE PUMPS
VOGELSANG GmbH & Co. KG launches two new
industrial pump series. The rotary lobe pumps
of the EP series and VY series are made from
a single-piece housing designed for optimal
flow. The pumps can be equipped with a variety
of sealing systems, making them flexibly
deployable in such demanding areas as the oil,
gas and chemical industries. The EP series from
Vogelsang is designed for extreme conditions
and constant high pressures. A heavy-duty
gearbox allows for a uniform pressure output of
up to 18 bar.
vogelsang.info/int
Check 207 on index.
SEALRYT set out to design a packing that could
handle the harshest slurry environments. Style
2017 is a pre-twisted carbon with monolithic
polymer fi
filament
lament braided packing. It was
engineered with super heat conductivity in mind.
It works great in tough mining environments like
bauxite, gold, copper, coal and phosphate. Style
2017 also works in pulp and paper applications,
including liquors and paper stock.
sealryt.com
Check 208 on index.
9 PORTABLE MOTOR POWER MONITOR
LOAD CONTROLS introduces the PPC-4 portable
motor power monitor. Optimize pump efficiency
and motor sizing, determine operating point
on pump curves, and develop energy savings
priorities. The PPC-4 measures real-time motor
power from less than 1 horsepower (hp) to over
200 hp, both across the line starters and VFDs.
Outputs are LCD and 0-10V analog signal for
connections to external data loggers and
data-driven decisions. The PPC-4 is made in the
United States.
loadcontrols.com
Check 209 on index.
ZUWA’s portable transfer pumps offer variable
flow rates of up to 24 gpm at 58 pounds per square
inch (psi) and are dry self-priming. Wherever
liquids need to be transferred, the ZUWA drill
pump is a lifetime tool for craftsmen or service
technicians. This fits in a tool belt and can be
installed in seconds. These are manufactured in
Germany, machined from solid bar stock, available
in aluminum, 316L and polytetrafluoroethylene
(PTFE). This pumps anything from water to gear oil
with solids.
zuwausa.com
Check 211 on index.
12 MULTISTAGE RING SECTION PUMP
CARVER PUMP’s process duty, horizontal ring
section (RS) multistage pump is designed for
moderate to high-pressure pumping and it
is available in seven basic sizes with overall
performance to 2,600 hp. The RS is offered with
Class 300 ANSI R.F. inlet flanges and Class 600
or 900 ANSI R.F. discharge flanges, depending
on the pressures and number of stages involved.
Hydraulic performance extends to 2,000 gpm
and 3,400 feet total dynamic head (TDH), making
it suited for the most demanding industrial and
process applications.
carverpump.com
Check 212 on index.
PUMPSANDSYSTEMS.COM
75
PRODUCTS
14
15
13
16
13 GAS MONITORING DEVICE
BELIMO released vehicle emission and IAQ gas
monitoring devices to the U.S. market. Belimo
Holdings AG acquired Opera Electronics last
year and has worked towards a harmonious and
seamless integration. The gas monitors provide
accurate and reliable measurements, detect and
control toxic gases in commercial buildings. One
feature is an intelligent and standalone peerto-peer communication protocol provides users
the flexibility to configure and install a complete
ventilation control system with only one monitor or
dozens operating in multiple ventilation zones.
belimo.com
Check 213 on index.
14 FLOW METER
Prosonic Flow W 400 brings the modern technology
of ENDRESS+HAUSER’s Proline device series to
clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters. The W 400 clampon and I 400 insertion units provide comprehensive
process monitoring with long-term cost efficiency
and extensive diagnostics. These sensors pair
with Endress+Hauser’s Proline 400 transmitter to
provide a complete flow metering solution. The flow
meter uses a nonintrusive, clamp-on measurement
method, with its ultrasonic sensors mounted
directly on a pipe’s exterior. This provides safe
measurement of many fluids, independent of their
conductivity or other properties.
us.endress.com
Check 214 on index.
15 SEPARATOR
FLOTTWEG has expanded its separator portfolio
with the Flottweg AC1700 separator. The Flottweg
AC1700 separator fits between the popular AC1500
and AC2000 series and completes the product
portfolio for the food and beverage industry. With
over 70,000 mÇ/753,474 ftÇ of clarification area and
an acceleration of 11,000 g, the compact separator
ensures an optimally clarified final product with
a high throughput. The AC1700 is engineered
and made in Germany. It is characterized by two
essential features: the separator is robust with lowmaintenance requirements and remains calm even
under high g acceleration.
flottweg.com
Check 215 on index.
76
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
17
16 SENSOR
The i-ALERT3 sensor from ITT is designed to
monitor and log the vibration and temperature
of any rotating machine quickly, accurately
and cost efficiently. It identifies and diagnoses
mechanical and electrical failures in pumps,
motors and other industrial machines before
they occur by using a wider vibration
frequency range. The i-ALERT3 sensor
upgrades i-ALERT’s condition-based
monitoring solution, including the i-ALERT
mobile app, i-ALERT gateway, and i-ALERT
artificial intelligence (AI) Platform, with
automated machine health diagnostics.
itt.com
Check 216 on index.
18
17 BUBBLE DIFFUSERS
PROCO PRODUCTS, INC., introduces the
ProFlex Series 730 coarse bubble diffusers
(CBD)—a pollution control technology used to
aerate or mix wastewater for effluent/sewage
treatment. A CBD is used to ensure that sewage
and Hi SG (specific gravity) content is properly
agitated, or diffused to ensure proper mixing.
The ProFlex 730 CBD is an engineered molded
valve which, when submerged and charged with
air, will create a series of bubbles strong enough
to capture the sewage effluent and carry it to
the surface of the tank.
procoproducts.com
Check 217 on index.
18 ROTARY LOBE PUMP
BOËRGER introduces the new BLUEline Nova
rotary lobe pump. The newly developed DIUS
rotors combined with a flow-optimized pump
chamber ensure smooth running even at high
pressures. The clean version of the BLUEline
Nova has been designed for conveying
pure, nonabrasive media. Casing protection
plates are not required.
newblueline.com
Check 218 on index.
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Page
ABB Motors US...................................... ❑ 101...........7
ADI OtoSense ........................................❑ 102.........21
Advanced Cooling Technologies ...........................33
AE Pumps ..............................................❑ 103.........79
All-Test Pro ............................................❑ 148.........57
Arntzen Company ...............................❑ 104.........79
AutomationDirect.com ......................❑ 105........ BC
Blacoh Fluid Control............................❑ 106........ 44
Blue-White Industries Ltd ................. ❑ 107.........41
Bradleys Motors ...................................❑ 108...........9
BUNTING-DuBois .................................❑ 109.........63
Crane Pumps & Systems ................... ❑ 110.........29
Dan Bolen & Associates ..................... ❑ 111.........78
EASA ............................................................................35
Electro Static Technology.................. ❑ 112.........39
Engines, Inc........................................... ❑ 113.........55
Flexaseal Engineered Seals
& Systems ............................................. ❑ 114...........5
Flomatic ................................................. ❑ 115.........49
Franklin Electric ................................... ❑ 116.........27
Gorman-Rupp Company.................... ❑ 117.........23
Heico Fasteners, Inc ............................ ❑ 118.........69
Helwig Carbon Products .................... ❑ 119.........65
Hydro, Inc. .............................................❑ 120....IFC,1
Infinitum Electric ................................ ❑ 121.........11
Inpro/Seal ..............................................❑ 122.........15
Jordan, Knauff & Company...............❑ 123.........73
Lafert North America.......................... ❑ 124.........55
Load Controls........................................❑ 125.........52
Magnatex Pumps .................................❑ 126.........78
Master Bond ..........................................❑ 127.........78
Meltric Corporation .............................❑ 128.........54
Motion ....................................................❑ 129.........13
Motor Protection Electronics ............❑ 130.........65
Moving Water Industries Corp.......... ❑ 131.........79
Rotech Pumps & Systems, Inc. ........❑ 132.........79
Schenck USA Corp. ..............................❑ 133.........17
SealRyt Corporation............................❑ 134.........51
Specialty Maintenance Products ....❑ 135.........79
Sun-Star Electric ..................................❑ 136.........73
Tesla Disk Pumps .................................❑ 137.........78
Titan Manufacturing, Inc...................❑ 138.........79
TPI ...........................................................❑ 139.........69
Tuf-Lok International..........................❑ 140.........79
United Rentals ...................................... ❑ 141...........3
Vaughan Company..............................❑ 142.......IBC
Vertiflo Pump Company .................... ❑ 143.........78
Vesco Plastics Sales ............................❑ 144.........78
WILO USA LLC ....................................... ❑ 145.........45
Worldwide Electric Corp.....................❑ 146.........24
Zoeller Pump Co. .................................. ❑ 147.........19
Load Controls....................................... ❑ 209 ......... 75
Newtek ..................................................❑ 204 ......... 74
Proco Products .....................................❑ 217 ......... 76
Sealryt ................................................... ❑ 208 ......... 75
Simflo .....................................................❑ 210 ......... 75
Thompson Pump ................................ ❑ 205 ......... 74
Unibloc Hygienic Technologies ....... ❑ 201 ......... 74
Vaughan Company............................. ❑ 202 ......... 74
Bell & Gosset, a Xylem brand........... ❑ 203 ......... 74
Viega ...................................................... ❑ 206 ......... 74
Vogelsang GmbH ................................ ❑ 207 ......... 75
Zuwa USA ...............................................❑ 211 ......... 75
*This ad index is furnished as a courtesy, and no
responsibility is assumed for incorrect information.
PRODUCTS
Company Name
RS#
Page
Belimo ....................................................❑ 213 ......... 76
Boërger ...................................................❑ 218 ......... 76
Carver Pump .........................................❑ 212 ......... 75
Endress + Hauser .................................❑ 214 ......... 76
Flottweg .................................................❑ 215 ......... 76
ITT ...........................................................❑ 216 ......... 76
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“Serving the Pump &
Rotating Equipment, Valve,
and Industrial Equipment
Industry since 1969”
CHEMICALLY RESISTANT
oil
Specializing in placing:
sky
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cru
Domestic & International
• General Management • Engineering
• Sales & Marketing
• Manufacturing
brake fluid
JASON SWANSON • JULIAN MUELLER
DAN BOLEN
• Fast curing
• Serviceable from -85°F to +450°F
• For bonding, sealing & coating
120 N. 44th Street, Suite 325
Phoenix, Arizona 85034
(480) 767-9000
Email: jason@danbolenassoc.com
Phone: 713.972.8666 | Toll Free: 866.624.7867
FAX: 713.972.8665
3575 West 12th Street, Houston, TX 77008
+1.204.343.8983 • main masterbond.com
www.danbolenassoc.com
www.magnatexpumps.com
www.masterbond.com
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Knowledgeable Staff. Variety Of Styles.
Usually Ships In 1/2 The Lead Time
Horizontal and Vertical Pumps
What Makes a Tesla
Disk Pump Different?
Our vertical sump pump line
offers up to 3000 GPM, 230'
Heads and 26' depth. The
horizontal end suction pump
line offers up to 3000 GPM,
300' Heads, back pullout
construction and semi-open
impellers. Standard construction
is Cast Iron, 316 Stainless Steel
fitted, or all 316 Stainless Steel,
and the self-priming pump is
available in CD4MCu.
Solve
dry start
problems with
Vesconite Hilube
bushings
View our complete catalog and
pump selection software on-line.
●
●
●
Our Pumps Are Designed for Abrasive &
Erosive Particulates, Slurries & Sludges.
870-444-5155 • tesladiskpumps.com
sales@tesladiskpumps.com
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PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
●
513-530-0888 • sales@vertiflopump.com
www.vertiflopump.com
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Increase MTBR
No swell
Low friction = reduced
electricity costs
Quick supply.
No quantity too small
Tollfree 1-866-635-7596
vesconite@vesconite.com
www.vesconite.com
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QUALITY | COMMITMENT | ADAPTABILITY
Industries Served: Oil & Gas, Refinery, Petrochemical,
Water/Wastewater, HVAC, Food Processing
MFG/Warehousing:
Odessa,TX,
Mississauga, Ontario Canada
• Self-aligning & self
grounding
• High pressure
rated
• Stainless or
mild steel
• Low cost
• High end pull
Parts in
Stock.
Ready
to Ship!
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Series 1196LF
Low Flow Pumps
Closed Coupled
ANSI Pumps
1296 Series
@ @ :
- ---- -@@@@
@ @@@ @
Self Priming
Trash Pumps
Tuf-Lok International
Phone: 608.270.9478 • www.tuflok.com
Odessa, Texas: Zac Martin - 432-556-8652
usasales@rotechpumps.com
Rotech Pumps Canada - Toll-free 1-866-217-7867
sales@rotechpumps.com
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PUMPSANDSYSTEMS.COM
79
PUMP MARKET ANALYSIS
Wall Street Pump &
Valve Industry Watch
JORDAN, KNAUFF & COMPANY
The Jordan, Knauff & Company
(JKC) Valve Stock Index was down
2.4% over the last 12 months, and
the broader S&P 500 index was
down 1.4%. The JKC pump stock
index fell 9.6% for the same period.1
The Institute for Supply
Management’s Purchasing
Managers Index (PMI) fell 1.7
percentage points to 55.4% in
April, the lowest reading in over 18
months. Supplier deliveries rose
1.8 percentage points to its highest
value in five months at 67.2%.
Survey respondents commented
that constrained supply was
impacting activity. The inventory
index fell nearly 4.0 percentage
points as manufacturers are still
struggling to get inputs amid
COVID-related restrictions in China.
The new orders index declined to
53.5% and the employment index
fell to 50.9%.
The Labor Department reported
11.5 million job openings in March.
The number of workers who quit
jobs rose to a record high of 4.5
million, slightly higher than the
previous record in November
2021. Job postings at employers
with more than 5,000 workers
have more than doubled
since February 2020. Job
IMAGE 1: Stock Indices from May 1, 2021 to April 30, 2022. Local currency converted
openings reached their
to USD using historical spot rates. The JKC Pump and Valve Stock Indices include
highest levels on record in
a select list of publicly traded companies involved in the pump & valve industries,
the South.
weighted by market capitalization. Source: Capital IQ and JKC research.
The U.S. gross domestic
product (GDP) declined at a 1.4%
2021, Japan had been the world’s
Reference
annual rate for the first quarter
largest LNG importer for decades.
1. The S&P Return
of the year, a sharp reversal from
Australia, United States, Qatar,
figures are
a 6.9% annual growth rate in
Malaysia, Indonesia and Russia
provided by
Capital IQ.
the fourth quarter of last year.
provided 85% of China’s total
Declines in fixed investment,
LNG imports. New LNG contracts
Jordan, Knauff
defense spending and the record
between China and the U.S. are
& Company is an
trade imbalance weighed on
expected to begin in 2022 and 2023. investment bank
growth. Companies spent more
The U.S. was the largest supplier of
based in Chicago
on equipment and research and
spot LNG volumes to China last year. that provides
merger and
development, causing a 9.2% rise in
On Wall Street, the Dow Jones
acquisition advisory
business spending.
Industrial Average and the S&P
services to the
In 2021, U.S. natural gas
pump, valve
500 Index fell 4.9% and 8.8%,
and filtration
production increased 2% and,
respectively, in April. The NASDAQ
industries. Please
in December 2021, reached
Composite lost 13.3%, recording its
visit jordanknauff.
the highest production level on
worst monthly performance since
com for further
information. Jordan,
record. Three regions drove this
October 2008. The Federal Reserve
Knauff & Company
growth: Appalachia, Permian and
raised interest rates by 25 basis
is a member of
Haynesville, which collectively
points in March, its first hike since
FINRA.
accounted for 59% of gross
2018, in order to check surging
withdrawals in 2021 compared with
inflation. Investors were concerned
These materials were
prepared for informa24% in 2011.
with lockdowns in China due to
tional purposes from
China’s liquefied natural gas
surging COVID-19 cases, and the
sources that are believed to be reliable but
(LNG) imports increased 19% last
supply chain crisis, exacerbated
which could change
without notice. Jordan,
year, as it became the world’s
by the Russia-Ukraine war, also
Knauff & Company and
largest importer of LNG. Prior to
disrupted businesses.
Pumps & Systems shall
IMAGE 2: U.S. energy consumption and rig counts. Source: U.S.
Energy Information Administration and Baker Hughes Inc.
80
PUMPS & SYSTEMS JUNE 2022
IMAGE 3: U.S. PMI and manufacturing shipments. Source:
Institute for Supply Management Manufacturing Report on
Business and U.S. Census Bureau
not in any way be liable for claims relating
to these materials and
makes no warranties,
express or implied, or
representations as to
their accuracy or completeness or for errors
or omissions contained
herein. This information is not intended to
be construed as tax,
legal or investment
advice. These materials
do not constitute an
offer to buy or sell
any financial security
or participate in any
investment offering or
deployment of capital.
W
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p
888-249-CHOP
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